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1961 Map of Spider Lake

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Spider Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

The East Branch Penobscot River winds through the southern portion of this Piscataquis County landscape, a territory defined by the unincorporated townships of the West of East Line State Survey (WELS). During the early 1960s, this region remained a managed wilderness of timber and water, anchored by the State Forest Service Camp and a Lookout Tower on Beetle Mtn. The map reveals a complex system of interconnected waterways and portages, including Spider Lake, Haymock Lake, and the string of First Currier Ponds.

Transportation is limited to a network of tote roads and jeep trails, reflecting the area's primary use for logging and fire protection rather than permanent settlement. Landmarks like Pillsbury Mtn and Haymock Mtn rise above the many "deadwaters" and brooks, such as Snake Brook, illustrating the challenging drainage patterns of the Maine woods before modern development reached these interior townships.