1959 Map of Canon City

About this map

Canon City and the surrounding industrial corridor of the Arkansas River valley appear in detail on this 1959 field-checked sheet. The landscape is defined by the complex infrastructure of the era, from the sprawling State Prison Farm to the intricate network of water management features like the Minnequa Dam and Sell Lake. Small coal-mining and labor settlements such as Brookside, Rockvale, and Williamsburg sit south of the river, while the rail-dependent economy of Florence anchors the southeast corner. Transportation history is prominent through the heavy presence of the Denver and Rio Grande Western and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroads, alongside remnants of older transit like the Santa Fe Grade. Educational and religious landmarks including the Abbey School and McKinley School provide key geographic markers for genealogists tracing mid-century community life.