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1893 Map of Anthracite

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Anthracite
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1937
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1937

About this map

High-altitude mining camps and steep drainages define the landscape of the Elk Mountains in this late 19th-century survey. The terrain is centered on the production of coal and silver, as evidenced by the namesake Anthracite Creek and the Kubler Mine near Mt Carbon. Settlement patterns are dictated by the narrow valley floors and mountain passes, with small outposts like Ruby and Floresta established to support the local extraction economy. The map details a complex network of basins and peaks, including Gothic Mt and Purple Peak, which served as critical landmarks for prospectors and surveyors alike.

Transportation in this era relied on rugged routes like the White River Trail and paths through Daisy Pass, connecting isolated basins such as Evans Basin and Gold Basin to the outside world. The naming conventions, from the optimism of Oh-be-joyful Gulch to the industrial pragmatism of Slate River, reflect the distinct character of the Colorado silver boom era and the subsequent shift toward coal mining in the Anthracite Mesa region.