1972 Map of Muskegon West

About this map

The industrial and maritime core of Muskegon sits at the junction of Muskegon Lake and the open waters of Lake Michigan. In the early 1970s, the city’s complex transportation network is fully realized, featuring an intricate rail system including the Chesapeake and Ohio, Penn Central, and Grand Trunk Western. The map documents the residential expansion of Roosevelt Park, Norton Shores, and Muskegon Heights as they developed around established landmarks like McGraft Park. Along the shoreline, military and civil infrastructure is prominent, from the Naval Reserve Station and Coast Guard Station to the large industrial footprint of the Waterworks. To the south, the landscape shifts from the dense grid of Nelson School and Central High School neighborhoods toward the more open, recreational spaces of P J Hoffmaster State Park and Little Black Lake.