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1942 Map of Morrison

Name: 1942 Topographic Map of Morrison
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1942
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1942

About this map

The dramatic Hogback ridge dominates this Jefferson County landscape, creating a natural barrier between the mountain foothills and the expanding Denver plain. In 1938, when this area was surveyed by agencies including the Works Projects Administration, the region was a mix of academic institutions, military grounds, and early recreational sites. The Colorado School of Mines anchors the northern edge near Golden, while the State Military Reservation Camp George West occupies a significant tract to the east.

Social and civic history is mapped through landmarks like the Orphanage in Mount Vernon and the State Reformatory, alongside the iconic Red Rocks Park and its Creation Rock. Transportation corridors show the transition from the rail-dependent era of the Intermountain Line to the automotive age represented by the Lariat Loop Road winding toward the Cody Monument on Lookout Mountain. Water management is clearly defined by an intricate system of ditches and canals like the Agricultural Ditch and Warrior Canal, vital for the irrigation of the eastern slopes.