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1975 Map of Portage SW

Name: 1975 Topographic Map of Portage SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

Portage serves as the focal point for this orthophotoquad, situated along the southeastern shore of Portage Lake. Unlike traditional topographic maps, this imagery-based survey captures the literal texture of the Maine timberlands during the mid-1970s. The settlement's footprint is clearly visible against the dense forest, showing the concentration of buildings and cleared land where local life meets the lakefront.

The surrounding wilderness is defined by significant elevations and watercourses, including the prominent Lanigan Mountain and Moose Mountain. The drainage patterns are meticulously preserved in the imagery, showing the winding paths of Beaver Brook and the East Branch and West Branch streams. This orthophoto provides a precise record of land use and forestry coverage at a time when remote northern Maine was transitioning into a more modern era of resource management.