1952 Map of Watersmeet

About this map

The Middle Branch Ontonagon River and its complex network of tributaries define this section of the Ottawa National Forest during the early 1950s. At the southern edge of the map, the junction of the Chicago and North Western railroad and local timber routes centers on Watersmeet, which features a prominent Radio Tower. To the north, the massive Bond Falls Flowage dominates the landscape, created to manage water for power and logging interests. Small settlements like Trout Creek and Agate reflect the region's reliance on the rails, while local history is preserved at the Maple Grove Cem and Maple Grove Sch. The presence of numerous Gravel Pits and named water bodies such as Behlow Lake and Barclay Lake indicates an area deeply shaped by both natural glacial topography and the industrial needs of the era.