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1962 Map of Palisade

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Palisade
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

The Colorado River carves a vital corridor through this landscape, fueling a complex network of irrigation and industry. In the 1960s, the town of Palisade and the nearby settlement of Taylor thrive on the agricultural productivity of Orchard Mesa and East Orchard Mesa, where the Government Highline Canal and Orchard Mesa Canal No 1 sustain local fruit production. The presence of the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad underscores the area's role as a transport hub for both produce and coal.

Energy extraction defines the northern slopes, with the Palisade Mine, Mt Lincoln Mine, and Farmers Mine located near the river bluffs. To the east, the terrain rises sharply into the Grand Mesa National Forest, transitioning from irrigated valleys to high-altitude features like The Blowout and Cliff Lake Reservoir. This map reveals the era's balance between intensive valley farming and the extraction of resources from the surrounding mesas.