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1933 Map of Montezuma

Name: 1933 Topographic Map of Montezuma
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Montezuma sits at the heart of this high-altitude mining landscape, where the Continental Divide separates the waters of the Snake River from the headwaters of Clear Creek. The area’s industrial character is defined by a dense network of high-elevation prospects and tunnels established during the region's silver and gold mining era. Key operations like the Whale Mine near Swandyke and the Waldorf Mine beneath Mt Edwards reveal the extent of the subsurface engineering required in this terrain.

Transport routes of the early 20th century are well-documented, including the climb to Loveland Pass and the primitive road through Argentine Pass. The map also captures the path of an early Transmission Line and Power Line cutting across the mountain flanks, indicating the modernization of energy infrastructure to support both the remaining mines and the emerging settlement at Keystone. High mountain basins like Horseshoe Basin and alpine lakes such as Silver Dollar Lake are shown in their natural state before modern ski resort development significantly altered the local topography.