1943 Map of Rollis

About this map

Thief Lake and its surrounding wetlands anchor this early 20th-century landscape, which was originally compiled in 1918 before being issued as this 1943 advance sheet. The most striking human-imposed feature is the Old Indian Reservation Boundary Line, which cuts diagonally across the northern townships of Westford and Grand Plain. This diagonal division stands in sharp contrast to the rigid grid of the 14th Standard Parallel North and the intricate network of drainage ditches, such as Ditch No. 10 and Ditch No. 11, that crisscross the low-lying terrain to manage water levels in the Mud Lake and Little Lake basins. Rural social life is etched into the map through numerous schoolhouses and remote settlements like Gatzke, Rollis, and Jonstad. The infrastructure of the era is evident in the presence of the Town Hall near Gatzke and the scattered farmsteads that relied on the Thief River and Moose River for drainage and connectivity.