1965 Map of Eldorado Springs

About this map

Eldorado Springs and the sheer rock faces of The Flatirons dominate this landscape during a period of significant scientific and suburban expansion. The 1965 survey, updated with 1971 photorevisions, captures the transition of the northern Front Range from a series of scattered mountain settlements to a hub of research. Notable institutions like the National Bureau of Standards and the National Center for Atmospheric Research appear on the southern edge of Boulder, while the dramatic topography of South Boulder Peak and Bear Peak looms to the west. The rugged terrain is carved by numerous canyons, including Gregory and Bluebell, which separate the developing urban fringe from the protected lands of the Roosevelt National Forest. Water infrastructure is critical here, evidenced by the Gross Reservoir and a complex network of ditches like the Church Ditch and the Boulder and Weld County Ditch serving the plains below.