1972 Map of Turtle River Lake

About this map

Buena Vista State Forest dominates this Beltrami County landscape, where the intricate hydrology of the Turtle River Lake system meets a complex network of timber and transit. In the early 1970s, the small settlement of Turtle River served as a key point along the Burlington Northern railroad, which skirts the northwestern edge of the map near School Lake. The geography is defined by its glacial heritage, featuring a dense cluster of water bodies including Long Lake, Pool Lake, and the expansive Big Lake to the south. An orthophotomap base provides a unique visual layer, capturing the transition between wooded forest boundaries and local utility, evidenced by a Gravel Pit and a local Townhall. The presence of the Indian Reservation Boundary crossing these waters highlights the layered jurisdictional history of this northern Minnesota wilderness.