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1955 Map of Black Ridge

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Black Ridge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison dominates this mid-century survey, revealing the deep, shadowed chasm where the Gunnison River carves through the Colorado landscape. To the east, the plateau of Fruitland Mesa represents the agricultural character of the era, supported by an intricate system of water management including the Scenic Mesa Ditch and the Fruitland Mesa Ditch.

Detailed topographic work across Black Ridge and Red Canyon captures the transition from the high mesas down to the riverbed. The map documents the rural infrastructure of Delta and Montrose counties, noting early irrigation efforts like Green Mountain Reservoir No 1 and named grazing or encampment areas such as Pleasant Park and Pitts Meadow. Numerous drainages, from Buttermilk Ridge to Long Gulch, define the drainage patterns of this high-desert environment before modern development.