Loading map...

1965 Map of Paonia

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Paonia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

Paonia occupies the fertile valley of the North Fork of the Gunnison River, serving as a hub for the agricultural mesas that rise above the canyon floor. This 1965 survey illustrates a landscape of complex irrigation, where features like the Minnesota Ditch, Stewart Ditch, and Needle Rock Ditch carry water across Stewart Mesa and Amborn Mesa. The presence of the Stewart Mesa Sch and Lamborn Sch suggests a decentralized rural community organized around these elevated farming benches.

Industry and transport are represented by the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad winding along the riverbank, while the southeastern corner of the map transitions into the high country of the Gunnison National Forest. Natural landmarks like Mount Lamborn and Landsend Peak dominate the skyline, overlooking a network of mountain springs and reservoirs such as Lone Cabin Reservoir and the Bell Creek Springs.