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1951 Map of Keenesburg

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

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

The agricultural landscape of the Colorado High Plains centers on Keenesburg in this early 1950s survey. This region is defined by a sophisticated water management network essential for farming, featuring an intricate system of irrigation ditches such as the Burlington No 2 Canal, Quincy Lateral, and the Denver Hudson and Banner Lakes Canal. The mapping reveals the transition from natural drainage to managed water storage, with numerous reservoirs scattered across the terrain, including Ireland Res No Five and the large Horse Creek Reservoir.

The Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad cuts through the northern section, passing through the settlement of Roy. This rail line provided the primary artery for moving the crops and livestock produced by the farms surrounding Prospect Reservoir. The presence of the Henrylyn Canal (Abandoned) in the southeast quadrant provides a record of early 20th-century irrigation attempts that were ultimately superseded by newer infrastructure.