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1952 Map of Lamar West

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Lamar West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

Big Timbers and the Arkansas River define this eastern Colorado landscape, where early 1950s irrigation and transportation networks supported the growing community of Lamar. The map reveals a complex system of water management essential to the high plains, including the Amity Canal, Fort Bent Canal, and the Lamar Canal Diversion Dam. Near the small settlement of Beta, the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad runs parallel to the historic route of the Old Santa Fe Trail, illustrating the layering of frontier history and modern infrastructure.

Local institutions are well-documented, from the Riverview Church and Dry Creek School to the National Guard Rifle Range. Scattered windmills across the terrain highlight the reliance on groundwater for agriculture and livestock in areas distant from the river valley. The proximity of the Lamar Municipal Airport to these rural landmarks captures the mid-century transition as Prowers County expanded its regional reach.