1962 Map of Laporte

About this map

Cache La Poudre River dictates the landscape of this Larimer County region, supporting a complex network of water infrastructure and agricultural operations in the early 1960s. The map illustrates an intricate system of diversions, including the Munroe Gravity Canal, Poudre Valley Canal, and Jackson Ditch, which channel water across the plains from the western canyons. These engineering works serve both municipal and industrial needs, evidenced by the Fort Collins Filtration Plant, the Greeley Filtration Plant, and several Settling Ponds. Settlement is concentrated at the canyon mouths at Laporte and Bellvue, while the northern terrain of Hook and Moore Glade is defined by family holdings such as the McMurry Ranch and Coombs Ranch. The Colorado and Southern railroad tracks run north-south, threading between the river and the eastern canals.