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1965 Map of St. Helen NW

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of St. Helen NW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1989
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1989

About this map

South Branch Au Sable River and its various tributaries define the landscape of this Roscommon County region in the mid-1960s. The map illustrates a transitional period for the area, where managed wilderness boundaries like the Houghton Lake State Forest and Higgins Lake State Forest intersect with critical infrastructure. The New York Central Railroad cuts a diagonal path across the terrain, passing the small settlement of Geels and providing a rail link through the densely wooded and marshy river valley toward St Helen.

Water management and recreation are central to the area's layout, seen in features like the Au Sable River Park and the extensive Lake St Helen at the southern edge. The map captures local landmarks such as Brants Hill and the Sherman Bridge crossing, along with smaller nodes like Keno and the Townhall. These details reflect a geography shaped by both the timber industry's legacy—evidenced by an Old Railroad Grade—and the emerging importance of state forest conservation and seasonal flooding areas like Beaver Lake.