1973 Map of Rago

About this map

Rago Oil Field dominates the southeastern quadrant of this prairie landscape, where the energy industry left its mark through a network of Oil Wells and a Drill Hole. The terrain is defined by the ephemeral drainage of Shears Draw, which meanders across the central plains toward the settlement of Rago. This 1973 survey shows the borderlands of the High Plains where Morgan Co and Washington Co meet at the Base Line. Further south, Buck Creek and Camp Creek provide the primary water features in an area characterized by scattered ranching infrastructure and section-line roads. The map illustrates a moment in Colorado's history when rural agricultural patterns were increasingly shared with subsurface petroleum exploration.