1941 Map of Pitkin

About this map

Pitkin and Ohio City anchor this high-elevation survey of Gunnison County, which documents the intensive mining activity that defined the region’s early development. Gold and silver prospects are scattered throughout the peaks, including the Sandy Hook Mine, Gold Links Mine, and Roosevelt Mine. The landscape is a network of steep gulches and high mountain passes, such as Gunsight Pass, which served as critical transit points between remote mining camps. Along the valley floors, small educational and agricultural centers like Sparta and the Sparta Sch provided essential services for the families living near the mines. The drainage of the Taylor River and its numerous tributaries, such as Quartz Creek, illustrate how water access dictated the placement of these early Colorado settlements. This survey captures a transition period where industrial operations like the Camp Bird Mine existed alongside established mountain communities.