1954 Map of Rice Lake

About this map

Rice Lake and the surrounding wilderness of the Keweenaw Peninsula are documented in this mid-century survey, showcasing a landscape defined by its intricate hydrology and timber-rich history. The interior terrain is drained by several named waterways, including Sawmill Creek, Giles Creek, and McCallum Creek, which navigate the township divisions of Schoolcraft, Sherman, and Torch Lake. The presence of Minneyata Camp on the eastern shore of Rice Lake provides a rare point of human habitation in this largely undeveloped area, while Trap Rock in the northwest corner hints at the region's volcanic geological foundations. To the southeast, the map captures the transition to the Great Lakes shoreline at Little Traverse Bay on Lake Superior, where the Traverse River meets the open water. This 1954 data, later photo-inspected with 1975 revisions, preserves the mid-century character of these Houghton and Keweenaw County borderlands.