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1965 Map of Crawford

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Crawford
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Crawford serves as the focal point of this mid-1960s landscape, situated at the edge of the Fruitland Mesa where agricultural infrastructure meets the rising terrain of the Gunnison National Forest. The map documents a sophisticated water management system critical to high-country farming, featuring the Crawford Reservoir and its spillway, alongside complex irrigation works like the Aspen Ditch, Clipper Ditch, and the Grand Siphon. To the south, the small community of Maher is connected via roads that follow the drainage of Iron Creek.

Dominating the eastern skyline are the prominent peaks of Saddle Mountain, including both North Saddle Peak and South Saddle Peak. A distinct geological feature, Needle Rock, rises above Missouri Flats, while the varied topography is further marked by Iron Canyon and the deep cuts of Smith Fork. This survey captures the region just as the Crawford Recreation Area was being established around the newly managed reservoir waters.