1955 Map of Lazear

About this map

Rogers Mesa sits atop the tiered agricultural landscape of Delta County, where intricate water systems like the Durkee Ditch and Fire Mountain Canal have historically supported the high desert plateaus. This 1955 survey captures a community in transition, noting the West Redlands Sch and Rogers Mesa Sch as abandoned landmarks of an earlier era. The Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad tracks parallel the North Fork Gunnison River, serving the small settlement at Lazear and the nearby Sulphur Mine. Further south, the dramatic transition into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison reveals the steep, gulch-carved terrain of Scenic Mesa and Cedar Flats. The map also records specialized land uses of the time, such as the Rainbow Run Trout Farm and a private Landing Field on the mesa top.