1960 Map of Grand Junction

About this map

The Colorado River and its confluence with Plateau Creek define the agricultural and industrial corridor on this Western Colorado and Eastern Utah survey. The Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad serves as the spine of the region, connecting fruit-growing communities like Fruita, Palisade, and Fruitvale. To the north and west, the landscape shifts toward the high desert plateaus of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation and the distinctive escarpments of the Book Cliffs and Cathedral Bluffs. The map documents early-century settlement patterns, including the site of Watson (abandoned) and the remote community of Dragon. Prominent public lands, including the Colorado National Monument and the extensive Grand Mesa National Forest, frame the Grand Valley, while ridges like Cow Ridge and Skinner Ridge mark the complex topography between the rivers.