1952 Map of Horse Mountain

About this map

Horse Mountain and the Grand Hogback dominate this 1952 topographic study of Garfield County, where the transition between high mountain forest and the energy-rich shale deposits of the Colorado Plateau is clearly visible. The southern portion of the map is defined by the Naval Oil Shale Reserve, reflecting the era's focus on national fuel security. Along the winding course of Middle Rifle Creek, the map identifies the Upper Rifle Creek School and an Active Coal Mine, evidence of a small-scale rural economy centered on ranching and extraction during the early fifties.