1954 Map of Milwaukee

About this map

The industrial and maritime corridors of the western and eastern shores of Lake Michigan are captured in this mid-century regional survey. On the Wisconsin coast, the dense urban expansion of Milwaukee reaches out to Wauwatosa and West Allis, while the northern shoreline is dotted with established fishing and manufacturing centers like Port Washington and Sheboygan. Ferry routes crisscross the open water, connecting these ports to Michigan timber and rail hubs such as Ludington and Muskegon. The interior of the Michigan side is dominated by the sprawling Manistee National Forest and an intricate network of inland waters including Muskegon Lake and the Pere Marquette River. This map documents a period when heavy rail lines like the Chicago and North Western and the Chesapeake and Ohio still dictated the movement of goods between these Great Lakes states.