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1926 Map of Montezuma

Name: 1926 Topographic Map of Montezuma
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1926
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1926

About this map

The Continental Divide anchors this high-altitude landscape where the headwaters of the Snake River and Clear Creek begin their descent. Mining activity is the defining human imprint of the mid-1920s, with a dense concentration of operations like the Waldorf Mine, Santiago Mine, and Hamill Mine clustered near the ridge lines. These sites are linked by high mountain crossings such as Argentine Pass and Loveland Pass, which served as critical transit points for ore and supplies between Summit and Clear Creek counties.

Settlements like Montezuma and Keystone sit in the deep valleys, supporting the surrounding extraction industry. The map captures an era of evolving infrastructure, shown by the Power Transmission Line cutting across the Snake River valley. This intersection of heavy industrial geology and emerging utility networks reflects the transition from isolated mining camps to a more integrated mountain economy within the Arapaho National Forest and Pike National Forest.