1975 Map of Mancelona NW

About this map

The village of Bellaire sits at the northern edge of this 1975 orthophoto, serving as the central hub of this Antrim County landscape. Most prominent is the dark expanse of Lake Bellaire, which dominates the western half of the quadrangle with its distinct shoreline and surrounding wooded terrain. As an orthophotograph rather than a traditional line-drawn map, this document provides a direct visual record of the mid-1970s land use, capturing the transition from the dense residential grid of the village to the agricultural fields and forested tracts that define the region. The aerial imagery clearly reveals the development patterns along the lakefront and the patchwork of clearings in the hills to the east, offering a precise view of the rural Michigan interior before more modern subdivisions altered the layout of these lakeside communities.