1960 Map of Madison

About this map

Lake Erie defines the northern reaches of this Lake County landscape, where the shoreline is dotted with summer-oriented developments like Madison-on-the-Lake and Camp Wingfoot. Moving inland, the topography is structured by a series of ancient glacial beach ridges—North Ridge, Middle Ridge, and South Ridge—which dictate the path of major thoroughfares and the placement of historic settlements. This survey shows the region as it transitioned from a strictly agricultural and lakeshore resort area into a more developed suburban corridor, evidenced by the expanding residential footprints in North Madison and the presence of a modern Drive-in Theater along the highway. In the southern interior, the Grand River cuts a deep valley through the terrain, while the industrial and transit backbone of the area is represented by the parallel tracks of the Penn Central and Norfolk and Western railroads passing through Unionville.