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1971 Map of Mercer Lake

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Mercer Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The Tomahawk River snakes through this Northwoods landscape, serving as the central artery for a region defined by its dense concentration of glacial lakes and wetlands. Within the townships of Minocqua and Hazelhurst, the terrain transitions between high timber and low marshlands, with the massive Willow Reservoir anchoring the southwestern corner. This early 1970s survey captures a moment of established recreational and industrial land use, where local routes like Manhardt Road and Camp 9 Nine Road provide access to the interior forests.

Water dominates the geography, from the sprawling Blue Lake and Kawaquesaga Lake to the smaller, more secluded Bear Lake and Lake Seventeen. The map provides detailed bathymetric depth curves for many of these bodies, a result of cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Evidence of local industry is sparse but present, noted by a Gravel Pit and numerous creek systems like Squirrel Creek and Kaubashine Creek that feed into the larger river basin.