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1962 Map of Horse Creek

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Horse Creek
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Industrial quarrying and ranching define this high-plains landscape in Laramie County during the early 1960s. The Colorado and Southern railroad serves as the primary artery for the region, supporting the Horse Creek Siding and providing transit for the nearby Horse Creek Quarries. This industrial presence is concentrated along the dramatic western ridge known as the Hogback, which rises sharply above the drainage of Horse Creek.

Away from the rail line, the map reveals a sparsely populated ranching territory characterized by established family holdings like Whitaker Ranch and Y-Cross Ranch. Water management is central to life here, evidenced by a complex network of irrigation works including the McLaughlin Ditch and South Horse Creek Ditch No 3. Settlements such as Altus, Murke, and Tromley mark the stopping points and small hubs of a landscape defined by its creek canyons and narrow draws.