1944 Map of Three Oaks

About this map

The southeastern shoreline of Lake Michigan dominates this mid-century landscape, where a dense network of beach communities and dunes meets the agricultural interior of Berrien County. Coastal settlements like Union Pier, Lakeside, and Harbert are tied together by the Pere Marquette railroad, while further inland, the Michigan Central line serves the village of Three Oaks. The terrain is punctuated by significant landmarks like the Great Warren Dune and Tower Hill, showing the area's transition from recreational lakefront to a rural landscape dotted with local institutions. Genealogists can find numerous rural education sites including California Sch, Riverside Sch, and West Sch, along with burial grounds such as Forest Lawn Cem and Speed Cem. The southern edge of the sheet documents the state boundary between Michigan and Indiana, passing through the developing resort areas of Grand Beach and Michiana Shores.