1939 Map of Elizabeth

About this map

The Site of Gold Discovery by Russell marks a pivotal point in this landscape where the high plains meet the headwaters of the South Platte drainage. Surveyed in the late 1930s, the terrain is defined by a dense network of gulches and creeks, including Cherry Creek, Running Creek, and Kiowa Creek. The settlement of Elizabeth serves as the local hub, supported by a constellation of rural community centers and one-room schoolhouses such as Gold Dale Sch, Osborn Sch, and Locust Grove Sch 2. The map also records the location of a CCC Camp and several named cattle operations like the Lone Star Ranch and Pine Bar Ranch. This era shows a transition from early pioneer mining roots to a robust ranching economy, with the boundary between Douglas and Elbert counties bisecting the drainage of Moonshine Gulch and Bayou Gulch.