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1952 Map of Rifle

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Rifle
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Naval Oil Shale Reserve dominates the high ground in this mid-century survey, reflecting the strategic energy interests of the post-war era. The town of Rifle serves as the focal point of the valley, situated where the Colorado River meets Rifle Creek. The landscape is a complex network of resource extraction and irrigation, evidenced by an Inactive Coal Mine and the industrial footprint of the Vanadium Mill near the riverbank.

Transport and water management infrastructure define the local economy, from the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad tracks to a series of agricultural lifelines like the Pioneer Ditch and Last Chance Ditch. High mesas such as Hubbard Mesa and Taughenbaugh Mesa overlook the valley floor, while markers like the Rifle Cem and Rifle Creek Community Club provide essential touchpoints for genealogists and local historians tracking the community's mid-century development.