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1957 Map of Fraser

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Fraser
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The Fraser River valley dominates this mid-century landscape, serving as a critical corridor for both hydraulic engineering and mountain transportation. The presence of the Moffat Tunnel and its sequence of numbered portals, including Tunnel No 1, Tunnel No 2, and Tunnel No 3, highlights the massive infrastructure required to traverse the Continental Divide. Along the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad, small mountain communities like Fraser and Tabernash anchor the region's development.

Southward, the nascent recreation economy is visible at Winter Park and Hideaway Park, while the Idlewild Ranger Station manages the surrounding Arapaho National Forest. The map also meticulously details an intricate system of water management, including the Aqueduct and various irrigation channels like Big Six Ditch and Supply Ditch, which redirect high-altitude runoff from creeks like St Louis Creek and Ranch Creek for lower-elevation use.