1918 Map of Rollis

About this map

The Old Indian Reservation Boundary Line cuts diagonally across this Marshall County landscape, marking a historical division in a region defined by its complex water systems. Compiled by the Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, this military map documents the early 20th-century effort to drain the northern Minnesota wetlands, evidenced by the extensive network of drainage projects such as Ditch No. 4 and Ditch No. 10. Small rural settlements like Gatzke and Rollis are centers of community life, supported by numerous neighborhood schools and churches scattered throughout the townships of Moylan and Eckvoll. The transition from open water at Thief Lake to the swampy marshes near Mud Lake illustrates the challenging terrain faced by early settlers, while the 14th Standard Parallel North provides a steady baseline for the rectangular survey grid that organized these prairie lands.