1945 Map of Durango

About this map

The San Juan Mountains dominate this mid-century landscape, a terrain defined by the Continental Divide and the headwaters of several major Western river systems. The industrial and agricultural development of Southwest Colorado is visible through the narrow-gauge operations of the D & R G W RR, which connects the mining center of Silverton with the regional hub of Durango. To the south, the Southern Ute Indian Reservation and Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation cover significant acreage, while irrigation and water management are reflected in the presence of the Vallecito Reservoir and Rio Grande Reservoir. Local education and social hubs appear as isolated points in the high country, such as the Blanco Basin School. Small settlements like Ignacio, Arboles, and Allison dot the landscape near the New Mexico border, illustrating the distribution of rural communities in this transition between high peaks and desert plateaus.