1960 Map of Kelso Mountain

About this map

Kelso Mountain and its Lookout Tower rise above a dense network of glacial lakes and waterways within the Superior National Forest. This 1960s landscape, surveyed by the Geological Survey and the Minnesota Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Commission, highlights a complex drainage system where the Frost River connects northern basins like Afton Lake and Intersection Lake. The map details a labyrinth of water bodies with distinctive names such as Mesaba Lake, Lawless Lake, and Myth Lake, reflecting a period when deep-water bathymetry was being integrated into topographic studies through charts from the Minnesota Department of Conservation. No roads penetrate this interior region, which is instead defined by its natural boundaries, including the Minnesota State Forest and the township lines of T. 64 N. and T. 63 N.