1955 Map of Collbran

About this map

Plateau Valley and the surrounding high-altitude mesas define the settlement patterns of this mid-century livestock and agricultural landscape. The town of Collbran sits at the confluence of several drainages, most notably Buzzard Creek and Kimball Creek, serving as the primary hub for a network of isolated homesteads and mesas. To the west, Plateau City marks another focal point of human activity along the valley floor. Evidence of early community life is visible through the distribution of rural institutions, such as Pleasant View Sch and the Egalite Cem on Kansas Mesa. Higher elevations to the south and east transition into the Grand Mesa National Forest, where the topography becomes increasingly complex around landmarks like Old Man Mountain and Twin Peaks. The presence of the Parker Basin Sch (Aband) suggests the contraction of remote mountain school districts as the mid-1950s approached.