1959 Map of Mineral Center

About this map

The northern reaches of the Grand Portage State Forest and the international border at the Pigeon River define this corner of the Arrowhead region in the late 1950s. The settlement at Mineral Center occupies a high plateau, surrounded by a dense network of forest lakes including Speckled Trout Lake, Taylor Lake, and Center Lake. This period of forest management is marked by the presence of the Mt Sophie Lookout Tower and Mt Maudo Lookout Tower, which provided essential oversight of the timberlands before the era of modern aerial detection. Along the shoreline of Lake Superior, the map details the rugged coastal geometry of Deronda Bay and Cannonball Bay, as well as Pancake Island and Blueberry Island. The inclusion of the Grand Portage National Monument boundary highlights the area's preservation of the historic fur trade route connecting the great lake to the interior waterways.