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1956 Map of Sagola

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Sagola
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Sagola serves as the primary hub of activity in this northern Michigan timber and rail landscape, situated at the junction of several critical water systems. The Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroad cuts a north-south line through the center of the township, providing a vital artery for the region's mid-century logging and transport economy. The surrounding environment is defined by extensive public lands, including the Iron Range State Forest and Sturgeon River State Forest, which dominate the western and northern sectors of the map.

Water is the defining topographic feature here, from the meandering Sturgeon River and its West Branch to a dense network of isolated basins like Tamarack Lake, Bush Lake, and Gestner Lake. A Lookout Tower positioned west of the main settlement underscores the importance of fire observation in these heavily forested tracts during the mid-1950s. The map also captures the local political boundaries of Sagola and the county line between Iron and Dickinson counties.