{"product_id":"old-map-of-copper-harbor-michigan-by-usgs-1948-lake-medora-lake-superior","title":"Old Map of Copper Harbor, Michigan by USGS, 1948 – Lake Medora \u0026 Lake Superior","description":"\u003cp\u003ePublished in 1976 using survey data from 1948, the US Geological Survey’s “Lake Medora” presents a finely observed portrait of the northeastern Keweenaw Peninsula, where Michigan reaches into Lake Superior in a dramatic sweep of forested ridges, coves, and inland waters. At a scale of 1:24,000, the map captures Copper Harbor and its surrounding country with the precision for which USGS topographic mapping is renowned. Its contour lines reveal the region not as a flat lakeshore, but as a rugged, glacially shaped landscape of rising ground, narrow valleys, and rocky points. Lake Medora itself sits inland from the great lake, anchoring a terrain defined by water, elevation, and the long geological memory of copper-bearing stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe US Geological Survey, established in 1879, became the definitive cartographic authority for understanding the American landscape, and this map is a classic example of its mid-century topographic discipline. Rather than emphasizing ornament, the sheet derives its beauty from clarity: measured contours, carefully placed hydrography, road traces, trails, buildings, township divisions, and natural forms rendered with restrained authority. Such maps were practical instruments for engineers, geologists, foresters, planners, and travelers, yet they also possess a quiet aesthetic power. Every line records observation; every symbol translates the terrain into a readable system. In the “Lake Medora” quadrangle, the USGS turns a remote and richly textured corner of Michigan into an intelligible landscape of slopes, shorelines, and human passage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCopper Harbor, one of the principal places shown, brings a deep historical resonance to the map. Located near the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, it is associated with the copper boom that shaped the region during the nineteenth century, when miners, prospectors, merchants, and shipping interests were drawn to one of North America’s great native copper districts. By the time of the 1948 survey, the area had already passed through eras of extraction, settlement, and gradual reinvention as a scenic destination. The map preserves this transitional moment: roads and pathways thread through a landscape still dominated by woods, water, and relief. Nearby Eagle Harbor, Grant Township, and the small lakes scattered inland suggest a lived geography that is both remote and connected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe presence of Lake Superior gives the map its grandest geographic frame. Along the shoreline, named features such as Upper Point, Point Isabelle, and Deer Point mark the meeting of land and inland sea, where weather, waves, and bedrock have shaped a famously dramatic coast. Inland, Lake Medora and Barnum Lake are joined by smaller ponds, streams, and marshy corridors, their forms set against the rhythm of contour lines climbing toward higher ground. Mount Bohemia, now widely associated with steep terrain and winter recreation, is part of the same bold topographic character visible here. The map’s fine-grained depiction of hills, valleys, and drainage patterns makes the region’s glacial and volcanic inheritance immediately legible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a historical document, “Lake Medora” captures more than location; it records land use, access, and settlement patterns at a particular mid-twentieth-century moment. Roads, trails, and human-made structures show how people moved through and occupied the peninsula, while the surrounding forests, lakes, and shorelines reveal the persistent dominance of natural systems. Some routes may have shifted, shorelines altered subtly, and communities evolved, but the map preserves the geography from which those changes unfolded. Its topographic language is especially valuable in a place where elevation, water, and geology are inseparable from history. For collectors, it offers a compelling union of scientific precision and regional identity: Copper Harbor country rendered with the exacting grace of the USGS.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCopper Harbor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEagle Harbor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLake Medora\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLake Superior\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrant Township\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMount Bohemia\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBarnum Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUpper Point\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePoint Isabelle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeer Point\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSmall lakes and ponds throughout the region\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRoads, trails and pathways\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStreams and rivers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical 1:24,000 topographical map produced by the US Geological Survey.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows Copper Harbor, Michigan, and the surrounding Lake Medora region.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBased on survey data from 1948, with a 1976 imprint.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePublished by the US Geological Survey, established in 1879 and known for mapping and geological survey work across the United States.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCopper Harbor is a historic mining area on the Keweenaw Peninsula, known for its geology, scenery and regional history.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures detailed contour lines showing elevation changes, hills and valleys.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes water bodies, roads, trails, pathways and human-made structures.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCaptures mid-20th-century land use and settlement patterns in the region.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/es\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/es\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/es\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/es\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58767124431232,"sku":null,"price":41.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58767124464000,"sku":null,"price":112.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58767124496768,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58767124529536,"sku":null,"price":41.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58767124562304,"sku":null,"price":112.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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