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1956 Map of Little Marais

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Little Marais
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Lake Superior defines the rugged shoreline of the North Shore, where the settlement of Little Marais sits at the edge of the Finland State Forest. This mid-century survey, published through the cooperation of the State of Minnesota Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Commission, documents a landscape shaped by powerful drainage systems. The Manitou River, Little Manitou River, and Caribou River all cut through steep topography to reach the lake, creating dramatic coastal features like Pork Bay and the distinctive Sugar Loaf Cove.

Inland, the terrain rises toward Benson Lake, revealing the transition from coastal habitation to the dense timberlands of the state forest. A notable historical detail is the section of road marked Under Construction, signaling the post-war development of the scenic highway system along the Lake and Cook county line. The map provides clear evidence of the area's transition from a remote fishing and logging outpost to a more accessible part of the Minnesota coastline.