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1964 Map of Naturita

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Naturita
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

The San Miguel River carves through this landscape of high ridges and industrial activity in the mid-1960s. The town of Naturita sits at a geographic bend in the river, serving as a hub for the surrounding mining operations. Evidence of the region's mineral-heavy economy is clear in the Mine Tailings and various Mines north of West Vancorum and East Vancorum.

Logistics and infrastructure of the era are well-documented, from the Hopkins-Montrose County Airport on the northern plateau to the Drive-in Theater just east of the main town site. Agricultural and municipal needs are represented by the Williams Ditch and Chatfield Ditch, which trace the river valley below the massive Sawtooth Ridge and Naturita Ridge. The map also captures the boundary where Montrose and San Miguel Counties meet amidst a network of draws like Maverick Draw and Wickson Draw.