1948 Map of Platte Canyon

About this map

The South Platte River carves a deep path through the canyon in this 1945 survey, where the Jefferson and Douglas county lines meet at the water’s edge. The small settlement of South Platte serves as a central hub in the river valley, supported by the South Platte Sch and connected to outlying mountain communities like Foxton and Buffalo Park. Steep drainage systems including Deer Creek and Kennedy Gulch define the vertical relief, culminating in landmarks like Turkshead Peak and Raleigh Peak. A critical piece of infrastructure, the Intake, is positioned on the river near Strontia Springs, reflecting the area's importance to the Denver water system. Researchers will find a landscape where isolated homesteads and small mountain schools like Lamb Sch were still the primary markers of human presence in the front range backcountry before modern development moved in.