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1952 Map of Anvil Points

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Anvil Points
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

The Naval Oil Shale Reserve dominates this high-altitude landscape of western Colorado, reflecting the strategic energy priorities of the mid-20th century. High above the D & R G W railroad line, the Roan Plateau is deeply incised by drainages like Third Water Gulch and Yellowjacket Creek. This 1952 field survey provides a detailed look at the industrial infrastructure of the era, specifically the Anvil Points Oil Shale Mines and the associated Bureau of Mines Oil Shale Experiment Station.

Functional landmarks such as the Tank Farm, Pump House, and Weather Station are mapped alongside small residential or administrative pockets like Glover Park. The contrast between the high tablelands of Webster Mesa and the steep descents toward the settlement of Lacy highlights the difficult geography that defined local mining and transit. Local family names or pioneer identifiers appear in features like Gardners and Ben Good Ridge Gulch, offering points of interest for genealogists tracing early twentieth-century activity in Garfield County.