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1934 Map of Minturn

Name: 1934 Topographic Map of Minturn
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1934
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1934

About this map

The Eagle River canyon serves as the industrial and transit spine for this 1930s survey, anchoring the mining settlements of Gilman, Belden, and Red Cliff. The steep geography of the Sawatch Range and Holy Cross National Forest forced a concentration of development along the narrow river corridor, where the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad tracks parallel the water. High above the river, the Liberty Mine and several seasonal camps like Bells Camp underscore the era's reliance on hard-rock extraction.

Further north, the landscape shifts toward agricultural and early recreational uses. The State Experimental Farm sits near the confluence of Gore Creek and the river, while the Gore Creek Sch and the Dickson Ranch represent the scattered ranching community. Natural landmarks such as Lionshead and the high-elevation Piney Lake provide orientation points within the complex drainage systems of Piney Creek and Sandstone Creek.