1954 Map of Cooper Mountain

About this map

Cooper Mountain rises above a landscape defined by cattle ranching and geological research during the mid-1950s. The valley floor of Garden Park is dotted with legacy homesteads and functional outposts, including Dilley Ranch, Freek Ranch, and Chess Ranch. This area is a noted hub for scientific discovery, evidenced by the presence of the University of Kansas Geology Summer Camp and the Garden Park Dinosaur Monument, highlighting the region's importance to paleontological study. The map records the infrastructure of the era, such as the Garden Park School and a USFS Emergency Telephone station. Drainage networks like Fourmile Creek and Phantom Canyon carve through the terrain, while the southern reaches open into Sixmile Park, where a ditch and Pump House suggest the essential role of water management for these high-altitude ranching operations.