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1917 Map of St. Charles

Name: 1917 Topographic Map of St. Charles
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1917
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1917

About this map

St Charles serves as the industrial and civic heart of this 1917 topographic study, where the No 3 Mine and the intersection of the Michigan Central RR and Pere Marquette RR indicate a landscape defined by coal and transit. The southern reaches of the map highlight the massive drainage and agricultural efforts of the Prairie Farm, supported by an intricate system of canals and a dedicated Pumping Station. These features illustrate the early 20th-century transformation of Michigan's wetlands into productive farmland and industrial centers.

Rural life is meticulously documented through dozens of named district schools, such as the Indiantown School, Wiltse School, and Geddes School. The complex hydrography of the Shiawassee River and Tittabawassee River dominates the central and eastern portions, where numerous drains and creeks like Swan Creek and Pickered Drain reveal the intensive water management required for the region's development. Small settlements like Shattuckville, Alicia, and Hemlock appear at their height, before later 20th-century shifts in rural population.