I just love collecting old maps. And sometimes, there are notes and markings that make me wonder if they are still valid.

Here's a 1952 map, marked by Canadian Waters outfitter in Ely. Apparently, someone was making a trip from Moose Lake to Carp Lake. The route is drawn on the map with a small detour to the Canadian Customs at Prairie Portage.


I can't decipher some of the markings, but in light ink I can see "Fish" and "Falls".

Nice! Maybe the notes in marker are the letter C with lines to good campsites?

prettypaddle: "Nice! Maybe the notes in marker are the letter C with lines to good campsites?"

Yes... that is a possibility. And I'm looking closer.

I noticed a W and an area circled on the water just below "That".

That "100" series map was "the" map right into the 1980s.
Yours's was probably marked in the 1970s.
Canadian Waters didn't exist until the 1960s.
I marked up plenty of those maps while working / routing groups at Canadian Border Outfitters, in the 70s-80s.
The circled W is for walleye.

I probably would have never thought so much about the boundary waters if it weren’t for the maps my dad had on the wall of his work shop. We never went together, but one day I decided I was going to go so with a fair amount of research I bought a bunch of gear and never looked back. His trip was in 1951. His best friends kid and I went together and was surprised when Dorothy had them in her ledger book and could tell us exactly what they bought.

Oh, and some of those old maps are useful for PMA’s as there are portages marked that are no longer on current maps obviously!

Probably a little off topic but still in the map realm. I like to find old plat or Sanborn Fire maps in local museums and make copies. I use them for metal detecting places that "used" to be there. Found a 1853 seated liberty dime on top of an old train depot spot once. My oldest find to date. Research pays.

I'd be curious if they ever mapped the logging and / or trapping camps. That would be fun to explore. Does anyone know?

okinaw55: "Probably a little off topic but still in the map realm. I like to find old plat or Sanborn Fire maps in local museums and make copies. I use them for metal detecting places that "used" to be there. Found a 1853 seated liberty dime on top of an old train depot spot once. My oldest find to date. Research pays.


I'd be curious if they ever mapped the logging and / or trapping camps. That would be fun to explore. Does anyone know?"

That sounds cool, Dave. Where was that?

Mike

Mike, right here in town actually.

I have a map of a ghost town that is on public land so permission isn't an issue and could potentially be a good spot if it hasn't been picked over in the past.

I have an extra machine if you wanted to join me next year.

That's very cool - just came out out the Man Chain today, and caught a personal best smallie in the circled area marked "fish" north of the island on Carp Lake yesterday.

MikeinMpls: "

okinaw55: "Probably a little off topic but still in the map realm. I like to find old plat or Sanborn Fire maps in local museums and make copies. I use them for metal detecting places that "used" to be there. Found a 1853 seated liberty dime on top of an old train depot spot once. My oldest find to date. Research pays.



I'd be curious if they ever mapped the logging and / or trapping camps. That would be fun to explore. Does anyone know?"

That sounds cool, Dave. Where was that?


Mike"

You could always take a trip down to the John R. Borchert Map Library at the U of M. You might run Eglath who works there and is a past moderator of the site.

Never share your map with anyone. Those W"s are like X marks the spot

Great Melinko: "Never share your map with anyone. Those W"s are like X marks the spot"

I always share canoe spots... you still gotta get there.