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1972 Map of Smith Lake

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Smith Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Manistique River State Forest dominates this Schoolcraft County landscape, defined by the intricate meanders and oxbows of the Manistique River and its West Branch. The 1970s terrain reveals a complex wetland environment where numerous named sloughs, such as Kleystads Slough, Bear Town Slough, and Brassel Slough, indicate a dynamic floodplain. Higher ground is marked by the High Rollways overlooking Brace Creek, while the presence of a Gaging Station and various Gravel Pits points to active resource management and infrastructure during this period.

Human activity is concentrated along the peripheries of the forest, notably near the Mennonite Ch and various truck trails. The map captures a transition between the deep forest and early industrial or agricultural development, evidenced by the Pipeline corridors cutting through the southern sections. Water bodies like Smith Lake and Clemons Lake serve as quiet landmarks within this heavily wooded northern Michigan region.