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1986 Map of Thumb Lake

Name: 1986 Topographic Map of Thumb Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

Mackinaw State Forest blankets this portion of Charlevoix County, defining a landscape of high ridges and glacial lakes during the mid-1980s. The terrain is dominated by the Chandler Hills and Thunder Mountain, where the infrastructure of outdoor recreation is evident through Ski Lifts and a Golf Course. Water features are central to the area's geography, from the sprawling Thumb Lake with its Boat Ramp to the smaller Heart Lake and Kidney Lake.

A notable vestige of earlier industrial activity is the Old RR Grade winding through the hills, providing a clear path for genealogists and local historians to trace the region's logging or transit heritage. Communication and navigation landmarks, such as the Radio Tower WWUP-TV and a Fire Tower, stand alongside several Gravel Pits, illustrating the mix of conservation, recreation, and resource extraction in the Hudson and Melrose townships.