1974 Map of Elba

About this map

Elba stands as the primary reference point in this corner of Washington County, Colorado, during the mid-1970s. The landscape is defined by the winding course of Hell Creek, which carves through the undulating plains from the northwest to the northeast. This area illustrates the infrastructure of High Plains dryland farming, where individual agricultural viability is marked by the presence of numerous scattered wells and localized grain management sites like the Storage Bins and a singular Storage Bin located south of the main creek. The map captures the region after photogrammetric surveys in 1973, reflecting a period of established rural settlement where section lines dictate the road network and land use patterns. This survey is a focused study of the relationship between water resources and agricultural storage in a landscape where small-scale named features are sparse but significant to local operations.