1956 Map of Matchwood NW

About this map

The Ottawa National Forest encompasses this section of the western Upper Peninsula, where the Carp Lake Mountains rise above a complex network of waterways. The landscape is defined by the heavy presence of the Ontonagon River and its West Branch Ontonagon River, which includes the notable Cascade Falls. This 1956 revision captures the industrial and logistical remnants of the region's mining and timber heritage, most notably at the Norwich Mine and the nearby Norwich Lookout Tower. Traces of earlier infrastructure are evident in the Old Grade Railroad, which runs through the northern sections near Duck Creek. The mapping of features like the Flowing Well and numerous small creeks such as Argentine Creek and Halfway Creek provides a precise view of the remote drainage patterns in Ontonagon County during the mid-20th century.