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1968 Map of Portage

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Portage
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

Lake Michigan dominates the northern horizon of this late 1960s industrial and residential landscape, where the Burns Waterway Harbor and the Little Calumet River facilitate a complex network of commerce. This era shows the heavy influence of the Penn Central and South Shore railroads as they skirt the dunes, serving growing communities like Ogden Dunes and Portage. The map documents a period of significant suburban expansion, evidenced by the dense cluster of educational institutions such as Edison Sr High Sch and Aylesworth Jr High Sch.

Local history is preserved in the numerous cemeteries and religious sites that dot the terrain, including Calvary Cemetery and the Seven Dolors Shrine. The convergence of heavy rail lines like the Elgin Joliet and Eastern and the Norfolk and Western highlights the region's role as a vital transportation hub. From the residential streets of Lake Station to the southern reaches of Wheeler, the landscape reflects the mid-century transition from sand-swept shoreline to an integrated industrial corridor.