1899 Map of Rico

About this map

The mining center of Rico serves as the focal point for this late nineteenth-century survey, situated along the upper reaches of the West Dolores River. The landscape is dominated by the steep peaks of the San Juan Mountains, including Expectation Mt. and Storm Peak, while the industrial connectivity of the era is represented by the Rio Grande Southern railroad winding through the river valley. Numerous family holdings and ranching outposts like Waechter's Ranch, Snyder's Ranch, and King's Ranch are documented, illustrating the early settlement patterns that followed the mining boom.