Loading map...

1944 Map of Black Hawk

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Black Hawk
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

Central City and Black Hawk serve as the focal points of this 1940s survey, illustrating the concentrated mining and civic infrastructure of the Front Range. The landscape is defined by the steep drainage of the North Fork Clear Creek and an intricate network of gulches that tell the story of Colorado's lode mining legacy. Evidence of early industry and community life appears in sites like the Summit Mine and the Bay State Sch, while the rugged verticality is marked by named peaks such as Tremont Mtn and Justice Hill.

Transitioning from the industrial activity of the creek bottoms, the map reaches into the high timber of the Arapaho National Forest and Roosevelt National Forest. Historic transport routes like the Golden Gate Canyon Road and Gap Road thread through the complex terrain, connecting isolated schools like Mountain House Sch to the larger mining districts. The document captures the area's transition into a managed forest and water-protected zone under the Denver Board of Water Commissioners.