1956 Map of Boettcher Lake

About this map

Shafer Ranch and several family homesteads punctuate this mid-century landscape in Jackson County, where water management for high-altitude ranching is the dominant human imprint. The intricate network of irrigation channels, including the Briggs and Bohn Ditch, Zirkel Ditch, and Stormy Ditch, illustrates the complex engineering required to divert the North Fork North Platte River and its tributaries across the valley floor. To the west, the map transitions into the Routt National Forest, marked by the steep rise of Sheep Mountain and access points like Ute Pass. This era captures the area's mixed identity as a working ranching territory and a recreation destination, evidenced by the presence of Fort Boettcher (Resort) near Boettcher Lake. For the genealogist or local historian, the specific placement of the Monahan Homestead, Fliniau Homestead, and a Coal Mine (Aband) provides a precise record of 1950s land use and residency.