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1899 Map of Rico

Name: 1899 Topographic Map of Rico
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1910
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1910

About this map

Rico serves as the industrial and social anchor of this high-altitude landscape during the late nineteenth-century mining boom. The narrow-gauge Rio Grande Southern railroad snakes along the Dolores River, providing a vital lifeline between isolated settlements like Montelores and Burns. This transportation corridor was essential for moving minerals and livestock through the San Juan Mountains, as evidenced by the numerous homesteads dotting the riverbanks, including Waechter's Ranch, Snyder's Ranch, and King's Ranch.

High peaks such as Expectation Mtn. and Anchor Mtn. overlook the town, where a Quarry and a network of gulches like Deadwood Gulch and Aztec Gulch signal the era's heavy extraction. Along the southern boundary, the Indian Trail Ridge traces a historic path through the high country, while a remote Sectionhouse along the tracks marks the constant maintenance required to keep the rail lines open against the elements.