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1950 Map of Derby

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Derby
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

Denver expands northward into Adams County in this mid-century portrait of industrial and suburban development. The confluence of the South Platte River and Sand Creek serves as a corridor for an extensive rail network, including the Union Pacific and the Chicago Burlington and Quincy, which supported the massive Stockyards district and neighboring industrial settlements like Argo and Globeville. This era captures the transition of the landscape from agricultural ditch-irrigated fields to organized municipal grids, evidenced by the numerous irrigation lines like the Fulton Ditch and Union Ditch still cutting through developing neighborhoods.

Genealogists and local historians can trace the early footprints of several schools, including Buckoutz Sch, Mapleton Sch, and Smiley Sch. Significant landmarks of the period include Riverside Cemetery, the Fish Hatchery near Dupont, and the early layout of the Municipal Airport. The map also details the smaller communities of Welby, Adams City, and Irondale, providing a clear record of the residential and commercial patterns established before the massive post-war suburban boom fully transformed the Platte valley.