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1953 Map of Portage

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Portage
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

The Bangor and Aroostook railroad defines the transportation corridor of this Northern Maine wilderness, skirting the western edge of Portage Lake and connecting the settlement at Portage. This 1953 revision of earlier surveys reveals a landscape of working forests and remote sporting camps. Historic industry is visible at the Old Shingle Mill and the Lost Pit, while the presence of the Old Chain Bridge suggests older infrastructure over the waterways of T 15 R 5.

Remote outposts such as Bolstridge Camp, Hoit Camp, and Drost Camp are scattered through the townships of Westmanland and Perham, often linked only by the Tote Road or the Nixon Trail. Strategic overlooks like Pennington Mtn and Story Hill Fire Tower provided vital surveillance for the region's timber resources, while the small cluster at Buffalo includes the Buffalo Cem, a primary landmark for local genealogy in this sparsely populated territory.