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1950 Map of Bracewell

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Bracewell
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

Agricultural development in the Colorado High Plains centers on the winding Cache La Poudre River valley as it appeared at mid-century. The landscape is defined by an intricate network of irrigation engineering, including the Greeley No 2 Canal and the Boomerang North Extension, which sustain the farmsteads of Bracewell and Farmers. This 1950s-era geography reveals a shift in rural education, documenting active sites like Hazelton School and Ashton School alongside those already marked for closure, such as the Lucas School and Plain View Sch.

Transportation and industry are anchored by the Colorado and Southern (Burlington Route) railroad, which parallels the river valley. The map details how water is managed across the terrain, from the Boomerang Siphon to the storage of Neff Lake and Hogarty Reservoir. These features reflect a highly managed prairie environment where natural draws like Ashcroft Draw and Sheep Draw have been integrated into a complex system of ditches and laterals serving Weld County's growers.