1983 Map of Buena Vista East

About this map

The Arkansas River corridor serves as the primary artery for settlement and transport in this 1983 survey of Chaffee County. Communities like Buena Vista and Johnson Village are positioned along the riverbank, while the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad tracks parallel the water, illustrating the historical reliance on this natural valley for mountain transit. To the east, the San Isabel National Forest rises into the high country of Triad Ridge and Bald Mountain, where the land is marked by mining history. Features such as the Nellie Bly Mine and Triad Mine are tucked into the drainages of Trout Creek and Chinaman Gulch. The map also documents the State Reformatory complex and remnants of earlier transportation routes, including an Old Railroad Grade winding through Shields Gulch.