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1963 Map of Caldwell Lake

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Caldwell Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

The Laramie River winds in a tight, meandering course through this high-plains landscape, serving as the central artery for a complex network of irrigation ditches and prairie ponds. In the early 1960s, the area’s ranching economy is clearly defined by family-named landmarks such as the Hunsicker Ranch and Riverside Ranch, alongside an extensive system of water management features including the Fisher Ditch, Last Chance Ditch, and Old King Ditch. These man-made channels support the arid surroundings, linking the river to a series of natural and artificial basins.

To the north and east, the terrain rises toward Twin Buttes and Twelvemile Hill, overlooking a cluster of saline and freshwater bodies known as the Soda Lakes. The map records numerous named basins like Twin Buttes Lake, Gelatt Lake, and Meeboer Lake, which define the local hydrology. This 1963 field-checked survey preserves the layout of a working cattle-country landscape, where every lane, from Pahlow Lane to Harmony Lane, follows the logic of water access and grazing boundaries.