1985 Map of Sigma

About this map

The Pere Marquette State Forest dominates this Kalkaska County landscape, where the headwaters of the Boardman River and the North Branch Manistee River carve through a network of wetlands. Small settlements like Sigma, Cotton, and Spencer are linked by a grid of rural roads and forest grades, reflecting the region's history of logging and early 20th-century agriculture. The presence of numerous gas wells and a gravel pit suggests the mid-century industrial shift toward resource extraction. Natural features like Crawford Lake and Kniss Lake are interspersed with extensive cedar and tamarack swamps such as Schlemmer Swamp and Riley Swamp, providing a detailed view of the glacial drainage patterns that define this part of Northern Michigan. A local cemetery and the Radio Tower WGTV provide specific landmarks for genealogists and local historians.