1950 Map of Mc Kinley

About this map

Laurentian Divide cuts across this section of the Mesabi Range, marking the geographic boundary between waters flowing toward the Arctic and those heading to the Atlantic. The landscape is defined by the industrial footprint of the mid-20th century, with significant earthwork identified as Mine Dump and Tailings Pond sites surrounding the settlements of Elcor, McKinley, and Biwabik. The proximity of the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range railroad to the Corsica Mine illustrates the intense resource extraction that drove the local economy during this era. North of the heavy mining activity, the Superior National Forest provides a sharp contrast, where the Pike River winds toward Hay Lake and the high point of Pike Mountain is marked by a Lookout Tower. Smaller community details like the Florentine Cem and the Town Hall near the northern boundary offer specific points of interest for genealogists tracing family roots in these mining towns.