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1955 Map of Independence Mountain

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Independence Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Independence Mountain dominates this mid-1950s survey of Jackson County, Colorado, where high-altitude ranching and mining define the landscape. The map details a complex network of water management, essential for high-country operations, including the Bighorn Cattle Company Ditch and the Huntington (Abandoned) Ditch. These irrigation features, alongside the Independence Ditch, supported local livestock interests and the homesteads at Simmons Ranch and Waldron Ranch.

Remote educational outposts like the Threemile Sch served the families working the land. Evidence of the area's geological history is found at the Placer Mine near Placer Creek and the notable survey point at VABM Independence. The terrain is deeply incised by numerous draws and gulches, such as Parsons Draw and California Gulch, which channel snowmelt from the peaks toward the North Platte River basin.