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1959 Map of Midland

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Midland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

Grand Rapids serves as the southern anchor for this mid-century survey of the Michigan interior, where the growing industrial centers of Midland and Saginaw meet a landscape of extensive state and national forests. The map illustrates a transitional era for the region, showing the established rail infrastructure of the Chesapeake and Ohio and Ann Arbor RR alongside an expanding post-war highway system featuring U.S. 131 and U.S. 10.

Hydrological engineering is prominent throughout the watershed of the Muskegon River and Tittabawassee River, with significant reservoirs like Hardy Dam Pond and Sanford Lake clearly defined. For those researching local history, the map provides detailed placement of northern settlements like Cadillac, Big Rapids, and Mount Pleasant during a period of steady expansion before the modern interstate system fully bypassed older township centers. Conservation areas including the Manistee National Forest and Houghton Lake State Forest dominate the northern and western reaches, framing the rural agricultural and timber lands between.