1972 Map of Nederland

About this map

Caribou sits as a high-altitude focal point in this 1970s survey of the Colorado Front Range, surrounded by a dense network of silver and gold mining claims such as the St Louis Mine, Silver Point Mine, and the Boulder County Tunnel. The landscape is a transition of industrial legacies and modern recreation, evidenced by the Lake Eldora Ski Area and the Univ of Colo Observatory overlooking the steep valleys. Water management is central to the area's development, with Middle Boulder Creek feeding into the Barker Reservoir near the town of Nederland. To the south, the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad tracks follow the course of South Boulder Creek, passing through the mountain settlements of Tolland and Rollinsville. This era captures the region as it balanced its deep-rooted mining history with its growing role as a mountain utility and recreation hub.