1962 Map of New Castle

About this map

New Castle sits at the geological intersection of the Colorado River valley and the formidable Grand Hogback ridge in this 1962 field-checked study. The map reveals an intricate network of irrigation engineering, including the Hinds and Ware Ditch, Tompkins Ditch, and Cactus Valley Ditch, which transformed the arid flats beneath Burning Mountain and Coal Ridge. These water systems, alongside the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad, represent the twin pillars of the local economy during this era: agriculture and resource extraction.