1953 Map of Stillwater

About this map

The St Croix River serves as the central artery and natural boundary between Minnesota and Wisconsin in this mid-century portrait of the region. To the southwest, the burgeoning urban centers of Minneapolis and St Paul are depicted at a time of rapid suburban expansion, with early interstate routes like Interstate 94 and Interstate 35 beginning to redefine the landscape around Roseville and Brooklyn Park. The map captures a high density of rail infrastructure including the Great Northern Railway and the Soo Line Railroad, which historically supported the timber and milling industries that founded river towns like Stillwater. Northward, the terrain transitions into significant protected lands such as St Croix State Park and the Chengwatana State Forest, where the Snake River and Kettle River feed into the primary valley, illustrating the balance between mid-century development and wilderness preservation.