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1970 Map of Shovel Lake

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Shovel Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

The Soo Line railroad cuts diagonally across a landscape defined by its complex hydrology at the boundary of Cass and Aitkin counties. This 1970 field-checked survey reveals an area heavily shaped by the glacial geography of the Chippewa National Forest and Land O' Lakes State Forest. The presence of a Townhall and Lakeview Cem near the shores of Windy Lake suggests a focused point of community life amidst the dense network of water bodies like Shovel Lake and Little Thunder Lake.

Timber and transport patterns are evident in the orientation of the Willow River and the designated Snowmobile Trail that winds through the Smoky Hollow region. Numerous gravel pits scattered along the waterways indicate local industrial activity tied to road maintenance and regional development during this era, while named locations like Beulah provide specific markers for genealogists tracing family ties to these northern Minnesota townships.