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1967 Map of Hand Springs

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Hand Springs
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Antelope Creek and its many seasonal tributaries carve through this high-plains landscape in Bent County, where water sources defined early 20th-century life. The map reveals a cluster of community infrastructure centered around the Bethel landmark, including the Bethel Cem. This area, likely once more populated than it appears in the late 1960s, is characterized by its reliance on named springs such as Santastevens Spring, Hand Springs, and Medford Spring.

Evidence of early rural education is preserved at the site of Antelope Sch, located in the northern reaches near Antelope Spring. The drainage patterns of West Mud Creek and the curiously named Little Angry Creek dictate the layout of unimproved roads and fence lines, illustrating the challenges of navigating this semi-arid terrain before modern development. Notable family or descriptive names attached to landmarks like Chimney Spring and Box Spring provide valuable clues for genealogists tracing local land use and homesteading history.