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1949 Map of Patzau

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Patzau
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

The railroad settlement of Patzau anchors the northern reaches of this mid-century Douglas County landscape, where the iron rails of the S/Ste M and ST P lines cross the terrain. This is a region defined by its vast hydrological network, dominated by the expansive Empire Swamp and the headwaters of the Black River, Tamarack River, and Amnicon River. The map reveals a post-war rural infrastructure of small local schoolhouses, including Amnicon Lake Sch, McCreary Sch, and Chaffey Sch, which served the scattered residents of Summit and Dairyland townships.

Evidence of the era's fire prevention and transportation can be found at the Summit Firetower and along the Old Railroad Grade winding through the marshes. At Moose Junction, the intersection of rails and wilderness highlights the importance of railway corridors to this remote timber and swamp country. Numerous glacial lakes like Amnicon Lake, Bear Lake, and Summit Lake dot the landscape, providing the primary landmarks in an otherwise densely wooded and wetland-heavy environment.