1956 Map of Montrose

About this map

Gunnison River drainage and the surrounding high mountain plateaus define this mid-century topographic study, capturing a period when new water infrastructure began transforming the Western Slope. The introduction of the Blue Mesa Reservoir and Morrow Point Reservoir stands in contrast to the established mining-era settlements of Gothic, Tincup, and St Elmo. Transportation is anchored by the D & R G W RR and U.S. 50, connecting agricultural hubs like Montrose and Hotchkiss to the high country. From the sheer depths of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument to the heights of Uncompahgre Peak and Mount Sneffels, the map documents a landscape divided between national forests and the mesa-top ranching communities of Redlands Mesa and Fruitland Mesa.