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1893 Map of Platte Canyon

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Platte Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1893
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1893

About this map

The Denver South Park and Pacific RR dictates the development of this Colorado landscape, winding through the sharp turns of South Platte Canyon. Surveyed just before the silver panic and subsequent railway reorganizations, the map shows a corridor of small mountain stations such as Bailes, Estabrook, and Pine Grove that served as vital links between the high country and the plains. This era of narrow-gauge rail expansion was critical for accessing the timber and mineral resources of the Tarryall Mts.

The terrain is defined by dramatic peaks and high-altitude parks, from the heights of Devils Head or Platte Mtn to the secluded Deer Park. Water sources like Wellington Lake and Buffalo Creek are etched into the topography, illustrating the drainage patterns that shaped local homesteading and transit. Notable summits like Thunder Butte and Bison Peak provide a framework for the steep relief that made rail engineering in the region so complex.