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1970 Map of Sodus

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Sodus
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Sodus and several other small farming hubs define the Berrien County landscape at the turn of the 1970s. The region is marked by its numerous hamlets and crossroads, including Millburg, Pearl Grange, and Shanghai Corners. A distinct grid of township roads—such as Napier Ave, Edwards Road, and Watson Road—segments the countryside, which is heavily shaped by agricultural and local drainage patterns. Significant water bodies like Mills Lake, Black Lake, and Mud Lake are interspersed with smaller marshlands and tributaries.

Local history is preserved in various community landmarks, from family-named cemeteries like Byers Cem, Pennyan Cem, and Mt Pleasant Cem to the presence of numerous sandpits indicating local industry. The map captures the area just as aerial photography began to play a larger role in topographic mapping, evidenced by the inclusion of the Sutherland Landing Strip and the intricate network of Pipestone Creek winding through the south.