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1965 Map of Commerce City

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Commerce City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1994
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1994

About this map

Commerce City and the surrounding industrial corridors of Adams County are captured here during a period of intense mid-century transition. The landscape is defined by the convergence of major transportation arteries, including the Valley Highway and a dense network of railroads such as the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern. This connectivity supported the massive operations at the Denver Union Stockyard and the National Western Stockshow Complex, which sit adjacent to the South Platte River.

To the east, the sprawling Rocky Mountain Arsenal dominates the terrain, while the southern margin shows the early stages of the Stapleton Redevelopment Site. Local civic life is visible through numerous neighborhood institutions like Thornton High Sch and Rose Hill Cemetery. The map documents the expansion of suburbs like Thornton and Northglenn as they began to border the gravel pits and industrial zones that fueled the region's growth.