1956 Map of Kiernan

About this map

The Iron Range State Forest dominates this mid-century landscape, where the waters of the Michigamme Reservoir define the local geography. The reservoir's vast footprint, held by Way Dam and Hemlock Falls Dam, dramatically altered the natural course of the Michigamme River and its surrounding wetlands. Industry and early logging presence are evident through the McMillan Camp and the rail line of the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific, which cuts across the southern portion of the quadrangle near the settlement of Kiernan. To the east, the terrain rises toward Michigamme Mountain, overlooking a network of smaller glacial lakes like Lake Ellen and Butler Lake. This 1950s survey captures the region as a hybrid of managed timberland, hydroelectric infrastructure, and recreational waters, before modern development further altered the remote Upper Peninsula character.