1960 Map of Rulison

About this map

The Colorado River corridor defines the northern reach of this 1960 survey, where the small settlement of Rulison and the agricultural expanse of Morrisania Mesa sit at the foot of massive highlands. The landscape is a study in resource management and extraction, dominated by the Naval Oil Shale Reserve and the expansive White River National Forest. Industrial markers like an Old Railroad Grade, several Gas Wells, and a Stone Quarry trace the economic footprint of the mid-20th century. High-altitude landmarks such as Battlement Mesa, Doghead Mountain, and Houston Mountain rise sharply above the river valley, while irrigation features like the Hallett Ditch suggest the complex water engineering required to sustain life on the arid mesas. Revisions from 1983 aerial photography, shown in purple, document a landscape being reshaped by new pipelines and evolving road networks.