1915 Map of Perham

About this map

Glacial lakes and iron-horse transit corridors define the landscape of east-central Otter Tail County in this 1912 survey. The Northern Pacific railroad cuts a diagonal line through the village of Perham, connecting it to the smaller settlement of Luce and the resort-frontage of Grand View Heights. To the west, the Winnipeg Line serves the towns of Dent and Richville, winding between Dead Lake and the complex shoreline of Little McDonald Lake. This era shows a densely settled rural interior, evidenced by the high concentration of numbered school districts, such as School No 51 and School No 58, which supported the farming families working the land between Pine Lake and the many smaller basins like Paul Lake and Wolf Lake. The map documents a time when local transport still relied heavily on these primary rail arteries before the expansion of the modern highway system.