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1956 Map of Fairplay East

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Fairplay East
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The town of Fairplay and its immediate eastern surroundings in the mid-1950s reveal a landscape shaped by water engineering and mineral extraction. Large areas of tailings south of town, along with numerous gravel pits, point to the heavy industrial activity that defined the area's development. The hydrology is dominated by the Middle Fork South Platte River, which is fed and diverted by an extensive network of irrigation infrastructure, including the Weston Ditch, Anderson Ditch No 1, and the Miller-Chapman Ditch.

Family ranching legacies are clearly marked across the high-altitude terrain, with homesteads such as Coil Ranch, Cargill Ranch, and Platte Ranch scattered between Red Hill and Reinecker Ridge. Transportation history is preserved through the visible Old Railroad Grade, which parallels the river. This survey also records important community landmarks like the Fairplay Cemetery and a private Airstrip, showing the mix of traditional mountain ranching and modernizing influences during this era.