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1955 Map of Bishop Ranch

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Bishop Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

The high plains of Bent County are defined by a sophisticated system of water management and livestock ranching in this mid-century topography. The northern portion of the landscape is dominated by the Adobe Creek Reservoir, while the southern reaches are structured by the Fort Lyon Canal and its associated Levee. This irrigation infrastructure allowed for the development of rural homesteads and named properties such as Bishop Ranch and the Cordes-Oberlander Ranch.

The survey captures a transition in local land use, documenting several Windmill sites and wells alongside emerging energy interests like a Gas Well and Oil Well. Settlement patterns follow the grid of local roads, including Mulberry Lane and Fifteenth Lane. Evidence of former industrial activity is seen in a Inactive Quarry, illustrating the intersection of natural resources and agricultural life during this era.