2019 Map of Brighton

About this map

Brighton and Commerce City anchor this landscape, where the intensive water management of the South Platte Valley is on full display. The South Platte River and its accompanying Henderson Island are flanked by a complex network of irrigation infrastructure, including the Brighton Ditch, Fulton Ditch, and O'Brian Canal. For family historians, several burial grounds are documented, such as Fairview Cem near the city center, and the more secluded Black Cem and Elmwood Cem. The eastern portion of the map is dominated by the large basin of Barr Lake, surrounded by smaller storage bodies like Vail Reservoir and Magers Reservoir. The Great Western RR cuts through the region, reflecting the area's long-standing reliance on rail transport for its agricultural and industrial output. This 2019 survey provides a precise look at the modern suburban expansion meeting traditional Colorado water-rights engineering.