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1951 Map of Virginia

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Virginia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Industrial activity on the Mesabi Iron Range dominates this mid-century survey, centered on the city of Virginia and the nearby settlement of Mountain Iron. The landscape is defined by massive excavations and mining infrastructure, including the Wacootah Mine and Auburn Pit, along with numerous mine dumps and tailings ponds. The Laurentian Divide cuts across the southern portion of the sheet, separating the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay watersheds.

Institutional growth is visible through the Mesabi Community College and several local schools like Horace Mann Sch and Washington Sch. Transportation networks of the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range and Duluth Winnipeg and Pacific railroads illustrate the logistical backbone of this mining corridor. To the north, the terrain transitions into the Superior National Forest, where Sandy Lake and Little Sandy Lake provide a sharp contrast to the heavy industry of the iron pits.