1958 Map of Keystone

About this map

Saints John and the high mountain mining camps of the Tenmile Range dominate this 1950s survey of the Arapaho National Forest. The landscape is a dense network of extraction history, evidenced by the numerous mine dumps, tailings, and active claims like the Saints John Mine and the Ida Belle Mine. Water management for the growing Front Range is visible through the engineering of the Roberts Tunnel and its Diversion Ditch, which redirect flow from the Snake River watershed. While Keystone appears in its earlier form before its later expansion, the map captures the isolation of higher elevations where settlements like Rexford and Swandyke sit along the Swan River and its various forks. From the summit of Independence Mountain to the depths of Grizzly Gulch, the map details a region transitioning from its hard-rock mining roots toward modern water infrastructure and recreational use.