Loading map...

1956 Map of Soudan

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Soudan
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

The Soudan Mine and the settlement of Soudan dominate this 1950s survey of Minnesota's iron-rich north woods. Situated at the edge of the Vermilion Lake shoreline, the area reflects a landscape shaped by industrial extraction and natural timberlands. The Duluth Missabe and Iron Range railroad and the Minnesota Iron Range Road provide the primary transit corridors through the heavy forest, connecting the mining operations to the wider region.

South of the mines, the terrain transitions into the protected Kugler State Forest Boundary, a dense patchwork of wetlands and small water bodies like Putnam Lake and Skeleton Lake. Notable landmarks include the Lookout Tower atop Jasper Peak and numerous named islands such as Hendrickson Island and Timber Island that dot the intricate bays of the lake. The presence of the LaRue Mine further underscores the period's focus on the mineral wealth of the Vermilion Range.