1961 Map of Spider Lake

About this map

Spider Lake and the surrounding wilderness of Piscataquis County are defined by a complex network of glacial ponds and prominent ridges in this early 1960s survey. The landscape is a haven for timber management and fire watch operations, evidenced by the State Forest Service Camp and a Lookout Tower situated on Beetle Mtn. Navigating the terrain is facilitated by a historic Tote Road that skirts the southern reaches near the East Branch Ridge. Large water bodies like Munsungan Lake and Pleasant Lake anchor the various townships, while smaller features such as First Currier Pond and Ragged Pond dot the heavily wooded interior. This map captures the remote character of Northern Maine before modern development, showing the specific township and range boundaries like T 9 R 11 Wels that still govern land division in the North Maine Woods.