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1955 Map of Mercer

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Mercer
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Glacial lakes and dense forests dominate the landscape of Iron County in the mid-1950s, centered on the village of Mercer. The settlement serves as a primary hub for the Chicago and Northwestern railroad, which cuts a diagonal path through the lake-rich terrain past Manitowish. To the south, the Northern Highland State Forest preserves vast tracts of woods and water, including San Domingo Lake and Grand Portage Lake.

The map reveals the local infrastructure of the era, from the Springstead Sch and Town Hall in the southern reaches to the Springstead Lookout Tower positioned for forest monitoring. Notable landmarks like Bonies Mound and the waters of Lac de Beaumont provide orientation within this network of hundreds of named lakes. Small outposts such as Murrays Landing and Carter reflect the dispersed nature of human presence among the timberlands and wetlands.