1986 Map of Lake Champlain North

About this map

Lake Champlain defines the heart of this landscape, its waters separating the Adirondack Mountains of New York from the islands and plains of Vermont during the mid-1980s. The region's strategic importance is evident at the Plattsburgh Air Force Base and the State Prison, while the border-crossing economy is reflected in the path of the Canadian National RR and Delaware & Hudson RR. Settlements like Rouses Point and Champlain stand as gatekeepers to Canada, linked to Vermont via the islands of North Hero Island and Grand Isle. To the west, the terrain rises sharply toward Lyon Mountain, while the east is dominated by the sprawling wetlands of the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge and the agricultural reaches of Highgate Center and Fairfax. This map documents a period of established military presence and stable rural townships before significant late-century shifts in regional infrastructure.