1904 Map of Ouray

About this map

Ouray sits at the heart of this early 20th-century topographic study, appearing as a concentrated hub of mountain commerce and transportation. The town is surrounded by a formidable ring of peaks, including Whitehouse Mtn. and the dramatic natural bowl of The Amphitheater. This era was defined by the reach of the narrow-gauge railroads, with the Denver and Rio Grande R.R. and the Rio Grande Southern R.R. providing essential links to the outside world through the steep valleys. North of town, smaller settlements like Bachelor Switch and Portland mark the progression of the rail lines along the Uncompahgre River. High-altitude routes such as the Horsethief Trail and features like the Hot Springs suggest a landscape where mining, early tourism, and rugged alpine transit intersected before the modernization of the high country.