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1945 Map of Elizabeth

Name: 1945 Topographic Map of Elizabeth
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1945
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1945

About this map

Elizabeth serves as the central hub of this mid-century prairie landscape, where the agricultural and extractive history of the Douglas and Elbert county line is clearly visible. The map highlights a significant moment in regional history with the noted Site of Gold Discovery by Russell along the drainage of Russellville Gulch, a reminder of the area's early mining prospects.

Beyond the gold fields, the map reveals a well-established network of rural education and community centers. Numerous country schools, including Hilltop Sch, High Point Sch, and Gold Dale Sch, are scattered across the terrain to serve the ranching families at Pine Bar Ranch and Idelweiss Ranch. The landscape is etched by a series of gulches—Moonshine Gulch, Kitty Gulch, and Henderson Gulch—that flow toward the larger Cherry Creek system, defining the natural boundaries of the local cattle and sheep country.