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1959 Map of Montrose

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Montrose
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The Continental Divide anchors this high-altitude landscape, where the headwaters of the Gunnison River and Arkansas River flow through the heart of the Colorado Rockies. In the late 1950s, the region was defined by a network of mountain settlements and vital transport corridors like the Denver & Rio Grande Western RR. Large tracts of the Gunnison National Forest and Uncompahgre National Forest dominate the terrain, separated by dramatic landforms such as the West Elk Mountains and the Sawatch Range.

Infrastructure development is evident in the presence of the Blue Mesa Reservoir and Taylor Park Reservoir, showing the mid-century management of water resources across the Uncompahgre Plateau. From the agricultural centers of Montrose and Saguache to the high-country outposts of Sargents and Parlin, the map traces the intersection of rugged geography and human industry during a period of transition for Western Colorado.