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1904 Map of Boulder

Name: 1904 Topographic Map of Boulder
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1904
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1904

About this map

Mining camps and narrow-gauge rail lines define the landscape of the Front Range during the peak of the Colorado gold boom. The Colorado and Northwestern R.R. winds through the steep canyons, connecting critical hubs like Sunset and Gold Hill Sta. to the growing city of Boulder in the valley below. This network provided the essential lifeline for extracting wealth from hillsides dotted with operations like the Golden Rule Mining Co. Ditch.

High-altitude settlements such as Jamestown, Salina, and Wallstreet appear as busy centers of industry and community. The terrain is marked by family-named landmarks and peaks including Sugarloaf Mt. and Bighorn Mt., which loom over the drainages of Lefthand Creek and the various forks of the St. Vrain Creek. This survey captures the intricate relationship between the mountainous geology and the transport systems required to move ore and people across the divide.