1949 Map of Rhinelander

About this map

Rhinelander serves as the focal point of this northern Wisconsin landscape, appearing as a dense grid of development at the confluence of several vital waterways. The city sits where the Wisconsin River passes through Boom Lake, a site defined by the regional timber industry. The surrounding terrain is a complex network of glacial kettle lakes and streams, including Lake Thompson, George Lake, and Moen Lake, which together illustrate the intricate drainage patterns of the upper Wisconsin highlands. Numerous small schools such as Clovernoon Sch, Emden Sch, and Trotier Sch are scattered across the rural townships, marking the distributed nature of local education before the era of widespread school consolidation. The presence of the Chicago and North Western Railway and the Soo Line tracks through the city center underscores the importance of rail transport in moving resources through this lake-rich region during the late 1940s.