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1958 Map of Empire

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Empire
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Empire sits at the confluence of mountain drainages in this 1950s survey, serving as a hub for the high-altitude mining and recreation corridor of Clear Creek County. The landscape is defined by the Continental Divide, where peaks like James Peak and Mt Bancroft tower over a series of alpine lakes including Loch Lomond and Chinns Lake. The map reveals an active industrial and civic landscape, from the Empire Guard Sta to the scattered mining operations east of town.

Evidence of the region's mineral wealth is everywhere, with numerous sites such as the Boulder Nest Mine and Minnesota Mines dotting the slopes of Red Elephant Hill. Near the settlement of Lawson, the Bellevue Hudson Tunnel and Alvarado Cem provide touchpoints for local genealogical research. In the northern reaches, the area around Alice and Yankee Hill transitions into the Roosevelt National Forest, where the St Marys Glacier Lodge and St Marys Glacier highlight the area's early development as a mountain destination.