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1951 Map of Hardin

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Hardin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1951
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

The South Platte River winds through this Weld County landscape, where the mid-century agricultural economy is defined by a complex network of irrigation infrastructure. This 1951 survey reveals the vital role of water management in the region, tracing the Latham Ditch, Riverside Intake Canal, and the Empire Intake Canal as they divert from the river. While some systems were expanding, others were already falling out of use, as seen with the Bijou Canal (Aband) near Bijou Spring.

Settlement patterns follow the Union Pacific railroad corridor, which connects the small communities of Hardin and Kuner. Local history is anchored at the Kuner School and the established Seventy Ranch, while the surrounding plains are dotted with dozens of individual Windmill sites. These features, along with intermittent drainages like Elder Creek and Boz Creek, illustrate a high-plains environment meticulously adapted for ranching and farming.