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1951 Map of La Salle

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of La Salle
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

The South Platte River carves through this agricultural landscape in Weld County, defining a complex network of early water management and transport infrastructure. Irrigation systems like the Latham Ditch, Union Ditch, and Evans Ditch crisscross the terrain, supporting the farms surrounding the rail-centered community of La Salle. The town's significance as a transportation node is evident in the converging lines of the Union Pacific railroad, which historically shaped the growth of local settlements like Evans and Hambert.

Water storage is a dominant theme, centered on the Lower Latham Reservoir and smaller sites like Behrens Reservoir. The presence of the Big Bend School and Beebe Draw School suggests a dispersed rural population tied to the land. This 1951 survey, photorevised in 1969, captures the area as it transitioned from traditional farming to include more modern amenities, such as a localized Landing Strip and the Beebe Draw Gun Club.