1950 Map of Gowanda

About this map

Agricultural development and water management characterize this Weld County landscape at the midpoint of the twentieth century. The serpentine course of St Vrain Creek bisects the area, feeding an intricate system of irrigation including the Last Chance Ditch and Last Chance Drainage. Small rural communities like Mead and Rinn anchor the western edge, while Gowanda sits along the Union Pacific line near the creek. This survey provides a remarkable record of rural civic life, marking several local education centers such as Stone School and the Pearl Howlett School (Aban'd), alongside the Rinn Valley Grange and Rinn Community Church. The presence of the Great Western railroad and various water storage sites like Lake Marie and Mulligan Reservoir underscores the region's reliance on both rail transport and managed water for its survival.