1946 Map of Star Lake

About this map

Vilas County water bodies and early timber-era infrastructure dominate this 1938 field study of the Wisconsin-Michigan border. The settlement of Star Lake anchors the southwestern portion of the sheet, connected to the wider region via the Chicago and Northwestern Line railroad. This pre-war landscape is defined by a dense network of glacial lakes including Black Oak Lake, Lac du Lune, and Mamie Lake, which straddles the state line. Vigilance against forest fires is evident through the placement of the Monahan Fire Tower and Juke Lake Fire Tower. Near the settlement of Merrill, an early Airport and various trunk highways suggest the gradual modernization of the Northwoods. The northern edge of the map transitions into a significant Unsurveyed Area in Michigan, marking the literal edge of documented terrain for the era.