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1947 Map of Oleona

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Oleona
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

Ole Bull State Park anchors this 1940s landscape, preserving the site of a mid-19th-century Norwegian colony along the banks of Kettle Creek. The map documents the remains of the Ole Bull Castle (Ruins) overlooking the valley, a poignant marker of the failed settlement attempt by the world-famous violinist. The surrounding township of Stewardson and the village of Oleona are set within a complex network of deep hollows and high ridges, where the landscape is defined by its drainage into Little Kettle Creek and Rauch Creek.

Tracing the ridge lines reveals an extensive system of forest paths, including the Yochum Trail and Swartwood Trail. These routes, along with features like Yochum Cem and family-named landmarks like Williams Hollow, provide essential data for genealogists and local historians investigating the early families of Potter County. The absence of heavy industrial development is evident, with the terrain instead marked by geographical landmarks like Rawson Ridge and Klondike Ridge.