Great Lakes in 50 Maps

by Alex B Hill

Overview

The largest freshwater system on Earth, like you’ve never seen it before.

The Great Lakes region is home to one-tenth of the United States’ population, and one-quarter of Canada’s. Even if we remember the mnemonic HOMES, we might forget what a natural wonder they are. Cartographer Alex B. Hill, author of Detroit in 50 Maps, shifts our perspectives and offers a fresh look at the five lakes and the vibrant region surrounding them. Split into four categories—history & culture, ecology, infrastructure, and physical—these fifty-plus maps show the lakes’ influence and confluences, from the Underground Railroad to monarch butterfly migration. See how many NFL teams play on a Great Lake, where mysterious shipwrecks and Bigfoot sightings cluster, the lakes' effect on snowfall, and even how “not so Great” lakes have vied for (and in one case, temporarily won) a coveted Great designation. Shrinking wetlands, oil spills, and rising temperatures due to climate change reflect both the fragility of the lakes and the vital role they play.

Great Lakes in 50 Maps is perfect for anyone who appreciates the history, nature, and future of the world’s greatest group of lakes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781540270009
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	06/03/2025
Series:	50 Maps
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 10.70(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Alex B. Hill is the director of data and community research at the Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation and an adjunct professor at Wayne State University. He started the website DETROITography (detroitography.com) in an attempt to bring together various Detroit cartographers and their great work. He is also the author of Detroit in 50 Maps (Belt Publishing). He lives in Detroit.

Table of Contents

History & Culture

• Indigenous names
• Treaty lands
• Current “Indian lands”
• European exploration
• Northwest territory development
• Regional boundaries
• “Great lakes” place names
• Megalopolis
• Population density
• Underground railroad sites
• Shipwrecks
• Lake monsters
• Football
• Migration
• Startups

Ecological

• Watershed with rivers
• Wetlands
• Lakes and depths highlight
• Lake St. Clair feature
• Snow belt and ski resorts
• Bluespace and mental health
• Invasive species
• Areas of concern
• Climate change
• Sugar maple trees
• Flooding

Infrastructure

• Land use
• Infrastructure
• Ports and tonnage
• Lighthouses
• Power plants
• Wind turbines
• Pipelines and spills
• EV charging
• Housing
• Water supply systems
• Migration
• Startups

Physical

• Islands in great lakes
• City circles highlight where water features
• Public beaches
• Drownings
• Surfing
• Trees (present day)
• Pumpkins
• Wine regions
• Bird migrations
• Monarch migration

Editorial Reviews

"The maps presented here range from the historical (sites of the underground railroad) to the ecological (bird migratory routes) to more standard but still illuminating cartographical fare (population density, roadways), all of which are layered over a fascinating palimpsest that Hill devises at the outset, compromising an outline of the Great Lakes watershed superimposed over another outline delineating the 'Rustbelt megalopolis.' Readers will be able to while away the hours with this one."—Publishers Weekly

"For those interested in the intricacies of the Great Lakes region, one of local press Belt Publishing’s newest titles is a collection of maps that examine the land and culture that surrounds these bodies of water, including fun facts and ridiculous lore."—Cleveland Magazine

From the Publisher