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1891 Map of Apishapa

Name: 1891 Topographic Map of Apishapa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1891
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1891

About this map

The confluence of high plains and canyon country defines this 1891 survey, where the Apishapa River cuts through the southeastern Colorado landscape across the boundaries of Las Animas, Pueblo, Otero, and Huerfano counties. The topography is dominated by the prominent Rattlesnake Buttes and the winding drainage of Mustang Creek.

Logistics and travel are anchored in the southeast corner by the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, which follows the corridor of Timpas Creek. The small rail settlements of Thatcher and Delhi provide the only significant hubs of activity in an otherwise open range of mesas and deep-cut draws like West Cañon. This map documents a period before modern irrigation or intensive development, showcasing a landscape shaped primarily by the demands of the railroad and the natural flow of the watershed.