1956 Map of Fairplay East

About this map

Fairplay and its surrounding ranchlands are documented here just after the mid-century, revealing a landscape defined by hydraulic engineering and early mining footprints. The Middle Fork South Platte River winds through the center of the sheet, flanked by a complex system of water management features including the Alkaline Ditch, Miller-Chapman Ditch, and several Aqueducts. These irrigation works supported numerous family operations such as the Coil Ranch, Buyer Ranch, and Platte Ranch. The high-altitude terrain is anchored by the prominent Red Hill and Reinecker Ridge to the east. Visible evidence of the area's industrial past includes an Old Railroad Grade and massive Tailings piles near the town site, reflecting the residue of large-scale placer mining that reshaped the valley floor long before this 1956 survey.