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1949 Map of Corral Bluffs

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Corral Bluffs
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

The Corral Bluffs escarpment dominates this post-war landscape in El Paso County, revealing a ranching economy defined by family-named landholdings. This 1940s topography captures a transition where traditional livestock operations like Boucher Ranch and Mitchell Ranch were connected by a sparse network of dirt roads including Blaney Road and Drennan Road. The drainage patterns of Williams Creek and Chico Creek dictate the placement of several windmills, which were vital for sustaining the remote homesteads of the eastern plains.

Local history researchers can identify specific ranch boundaries and improvements as they existed just before significant regional growth. From the Bledsoe Ranch in the east to the Hammer Ranch in the south, the map documents a specific generation of Colorado stock-raising families. Smaller industrial markers, such as a Gravel Pit near Corral Bluffs Ranch, indicate the early extraction of materials used for the development of the county's infrastructure.