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1945 Map of Kelso Junction

Name: 1945 Topographic Map of Kelso Junction
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Paint River and the Michigamme Reservoir dominate this Iron County landscape, captured in a mid-1940s survey that documents the industrial and natural geography of the Crystal Falls area. The Milwaukee and Pacific railroad line is the primary transit corridor, connecting the small settlement of Kelso Junction and the loading point at Mitchell Spur. This network facilitated the movement of timber and mineral wealth from the surrounding forests and hills.

Water management is central to the map's character, featuring the Gagnon Dam on McCutcheon Creek and a dense collection of named lakes including Upper Holmes Lake, Lower Holmes Lake, and Liver Lake. These water bodies, along with numerous creeks like St Paul Creek and Premo Creek, illustrate the complex drainage patterns of the Upper Peninsula. The map provides a precise record of the shoreline before later developments changed the footprint of local reservoirs and waterways.