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1953 Map of Julesburg

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Julesburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

The South Platte River corridor near the Nebraska border reveals a landscape defined by pioneer-era defense and early 20th-century irrigation. Near the southern bank, the Fort Julesburg (Ruins) and a nearby Historical Marker identify the site of a vital mid-19th-century overland station. The northern bank is dominated by the town of Julesburg, where the Union Pacific railroad and the Julesburg Water Works anchor the community.

Evidence of local water management is everywhere, from the Peters Ditch to the Carlson (Aband) Ditch, reflecting the continuous effort to reclaim this arid land. Rural life is marked by the Ovid Cem, Riverside School, and the unusual Italian Caves (Ruins) located in the bluffs southeast of the river. Numerous windmills scattered across the valley floor testify to the reliance on groundwater for the region's agricultural survival.