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1945 Map of Portland

Name: 1945 Topographic Map of Portland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1946
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1946

About this map

The Grand River and its confluence with the Lookingglass River dictate the settlement patterns of this central Michigan landscape in the mid-1940s. Centered on Portland, the area is defined by a dense network of rural one-room schoolhouses like Hamlin Sch and Christian Bend Sch, indicating the vitality of the farming townships before the consolidation of modern districts. The winding river valleys contrast with the rigid grid of the surrounding townships, where small agricultural hubs like Westphalia and Eagle serve as local anchors.

Transport and industry are represented by the Pere Marquette railroad, which threads through the southern half of the map near Mulliken and Sunfield. Genealogists will find significant detail in the numerous family-named landmarks and small burial grounds, including Keefer Cem and Niles Cem. The map captures a moment when smaller communities like Kent Corners and Sobewa Corners still maintained distinct identities alongside more established landmarks like the Portland Country Club.