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1908 Map of La Plata

Name: 1908 Topographic Map of La Plata
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1946
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1946

About this map

The Rio Grande Southern R. R. serves as the industrial backbone of this mountainous landscape, winding through the southern half of the quadrangle to connect high-altitude resource extraction points. Deep within the Montezuma National Forest, the map documents a robust mining economy, particularly in the northeast around the Cumberland Basin. Here, the Cumberland Mill and Columbus Mine operate amidst a cluster of peaks including Hesperus Peak and Mt. Moss.

Settlement patterns follow the rail line and river valleys, with Hesperus and Ute Junction anchoring the lower elevations. The presence of the Ute Coal Mine and scattered ranching sites like Menefee Ranch illustrate the varied land use of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The landscape is defined by the sharp transition from the La Plata River canyon to the high summits of the Rampart Hills and Banded Mt.