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1954 Map of West Duluth

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of West Duluth
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Industrial and residential development along the St Louis River defines this mid-century portrait of the Duluth area. The landscape is a dense network of heavy rail, including the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range and Northern Pacific, servicing the worker-centric neighborhoods of Morgan Park, Gary, and Steelton. These planned communities and industrial districts contrast with the complex geography of Spirit Lake and the various islands and points that dominate the river's lower reaches.

The map reveals the civic fabric of the era through institutions like Denfeld High Sch and Irving Sch, while tracing the early automobile infrastructure with the Arrowhead Bridge (Toll). Notable topographic landmarks such as Bardon Peak and Skyline Drive provide a vertical perspective on the sprawling harbor activity. From the rail yards of Proctor to the quiet grounds of Graceland Cemetery, the sheet documents the intense urbanization of the Minnesota-Wisconsin borderlands.