1987 Map of West Lake

About this map

Nicatous Lake and West Lake dominate this 1980s landscape in Hancock County, revealing a complex network of glacial ponds and drainages within the Maine North Woods. The map shows a largely undeveloped wilderness punctuated by the Nicatous Club on the eastern shore of its namesake lake. A series of interconnected waterways, including Guagus Stream, Oxhead Stream, and Mace Brook, link smaller basins like Trout Pond, Crystal Pond, and Loon Pond. This period in the late 20th century highlights the region's character as a managed timberland and seasonal retreat, with dozens of islands such as Butterfield Island and Cranberry Island dotting the deep coves. Large township tracts like T 40 M D and T 34 M D underscore the jurisdictional history of these unincorporated territories, where high ridges like Basin Ridge and Morrison Ridge frame the drainage patterns of the Machias River watershed.