1951 Map of Shelldrake

About this map

Whitefish Bay defines the eastern edge of this coastal survey, where the Betsy River snakes through the marshy lowlands of the Lake Superior State Forest. The map documents a period of transition in northern Chippewa County, capturing the small settlement at Shelldrake and the growing community of Paradise near the southern boundary. These outposts were connected primarily by Whitefish Road, which hugs the shoreline. Inland, the landscape is dominated by a complex network of wetlands and small water bodies such as The Widewaters, McMullan Lakes, and Hawkins Lake. The presence of Dead Creek and the South Branch feeding into the main river systems illustrates the intricate drainage patterns of this Upper Peninsula wilderness during the mid-20th century.