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1954 Map of Elder

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Elder
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Arkansas River corridor in southeastern Colorado is defined here by an intricate network of irrigation engineering and rail transport. At the settlement of Elder, the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad parallels the river, providing a vital transit link across the plains. The landscape is characterized by a sophisticated system of water management, including the Catlin Canal, Otero Canal, and the Oxford Farmers Ditch, which divert water to sustain agriculture in this arid region.

South of the river valley, the terrain rises sharply into the Apishapa Bluff and the broad Apishapa Mesa No 2. This area is carved by the winding Apishapa River and local drainages like Smith Hollow. Evidence of early community life is found at the Number Six Sch and Mount View Cemetery, while reliable water sources such as Arnold Springs and Windmill Spring mark the transition into more broken, upland territory.