1959 Map of Northern Light Lake

About this map

Greenwood Lake and its surrounding boreal wilderness dominate this late-1950s survey of Cook County, Minnesota. The landscape is a dense network of water bodies and forests, situated where the Minnesota State Forest and Superior National Forest meet. The hydrology is complex, featuring the meandering Brule River and its connection to Northern Light Lake, alongside the Greenwood River and numerous smaller lakes with evocative names like Redcoat Lake, Woodpecker Lake, and Cyprinid Lake. Insight into the area's limited industrial activity is seen in a solitary Gravel Pit, while transportation is restricted to unimproved dirt roads and trails, including the route leading toward the Gunflint Trail. This map captures a pristine era for the Arrowhead Region, before modern development further altered the drainage patterns of the Section Ten Lake area.