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1916 Map of Creede

Name: 1916 Topographic Map of Creede
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1916
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1916

About this map

The silver mining operations surrounding Creede dominate the landscape of the upper Rio Grande during this early-twentieth-century survey. While the town serves as the regional hub, the industrial activity is concentrated to the north at Bachelor and Sunnyside, where the Emma Mine and the Nelson Tunnel represent the deep-earth engineering required to extract wealth from the San Juan National Forest. These mining camps were connected by rugged trails and serviced by the Denver and Rio Grande railroad, which follows the river's bend toward the southeast.

The Continental Divide snake across the high country, separating the Cochetopa National Forest from the southern drainages. Further downstream at the confluence of the river and South Fork, a small agricultural and timber community began to take shape, supported by the South Fork School and the Pfeiffer School. This map captures a transition as the frantic pace of the initial silver boom settled into a structured network of forest ranger stations, such as the Alder Ranger Sta, and established transportation corridors.