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1949 Map of Gowanda

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Gowanda
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Agricultural life in Weld County is centered around a network of small settlements and local schools in this late 1940s topography. The landscape is defined by its complex irrigation system, featuring the Last Chance Ditch, Seep Drainage Ditch, and Lupton Bottom Ditch, which support the farms surrounding Mead and Gowanda. Social and educational hubs are clearly marked, including the Rinn Valley Grange, Stone School, and Dailey School, while the Pearl Howlett School (Aban'd) already reflects the changing demographics of the era.

Transportation is anchored by the crossing of the Great Western and Union Pacific railroads, which parallel the winding path of St Vrain Creek. This survey, compiled from 1948 aerial photography, shows a high density of rural infrastructure, from the Rinn Community Church to the numerous reservoirs like Mulligan Reservoir and Foster Reservoir that were essential for high-plains farming before the expansion of modern suburban development.