1978 Map of Muggun Creek

About this map

Lake Superior dominates the expanse of this 1978 orthophotoquad, which captures the lake's coastline near the northwestern edge of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The imagery provides a clear look at the shoreline interface where the deep waters meet the sandy and rocky coastal shelf. Inland, the landscape is defined by the drainage of Muggun Creek, which cuts through the terrain before emptying into the lake. While the majority of the sheet is comprised of open water, the terrestrial portion shows the timbered and rural nature of Houghton County as it appeared in the late 1970s. This advance print allows researchers to see the precise vegetation patterns and land use of the period, overlaid with township and range lines from a 1946 survey. It is a stark representation of the remote Lake Superior shore before further coastal development.