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1955 Map of Mesa

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

The high mesas and deeply incised gulches of Mesa County are defined here by a pattern of former pioneer life, where several early homesteads are already marked as abandoned by the mid-1950s. High-altitude ranching and farming efforts are visible in labels like the Harris Homestead, Eddington Homestead, and Frank Ball Homestead. The settlement of Mesa sits at the foot of the plateau, connected to the upper elevations by the De Beque Cutoff.

Strategic landmarks and water sources were vital for these early settlers, including the Marker Tree and the Baugh Reservoir on Kimbell Mesa. From the heights of Black Mountain down through the Plateau Creek Valley, the map details a landscape of transition from the open Silvey Flats to the steep drainages of King Gulch and Shire Gulch. A lone Oil Well near the Harris Homestead points to the early energy exploration that would eventually join ranching as a primary industry in this part of Colorado.