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1923 Map of Elkhead Creek

Name: 1923 Topographic Map of Elkhead Creek
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

The Yampa River corridor in northwest Colorado defined a landscape of remote mountain ranching and early coal extraction at the time of this 1923 survey. Small, localized settlements such as Elkhead and Mesa Rica served as focal points for a rural population supported by an extensive network of country schools, including Upper Elkhead School, Dry Fork School, and Cottonwood School. This dense distribution of one-room schoolhouses implies a distributed ranching community where travel was dictated by the winding gulches and creek beds.

Energy extraction is already evident in the hills, with operations like the Seymour Mine, Star Mine, and Bridges Mines dotting the drainages. The Denver and Salt Lake River railroad tracks parallel the southern waterway, providing the critical connection for these resources. Further north, the terrain rises into the Routt National Forest, anchored by the Henry Ears Ranger Station and peaks like Pinnacle Mtn.