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1889 Map of Crested Butte

Name: 1889 Topographic Map of Crested Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1889
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1889

About this map

The high-altitude mining and ranching frontier of the Elk Mountains is documented here during a pivotal era of industrial expansion. The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad follows the path of the East River, providing a critical link for the settlement at Crested Butte. To the north, the town of Gothic sits at the base of Avery Peak, serving as a gateway to the mineral-rich drainages of Copper Creek and Virginia Basin.

The landscape is defined by its dramatic peaks and high passes, including Pearl Pass and Taylor Pass which provided difficult transit through the Saw-Tooth Range. Beyond the industrial activity, the map identifies natural features like the Hot Spring near Cement Creek and various family-named landmarks such as Roaring Judy Creek and Baxter Gulch. This survey, conducted by W.H. Leffingwell and Laurence Thompson, preserves the early layout of these mountain outposts before the 20th-century shift toward recreation.