1970 Map of Snowden Lake

About this map

Whiterock sits at the northern edge of this high-plains landscape where the Apishapa River cuts a winding path through the borderlands of Pueblo and Otero Counties. The 1970 topography reveals a remote ranching environment defined by critical water sources like Snowden Lake and the Hixon Res. Historically, the movement of livestock and people in this semi-arid region was dictated by the drainage of Saunders Arroyo and Buffalo Arroyo, along with scattered watering points such as Kitch Spring and the Bull Pasture Windmill. The presence of the Old Channel near North Hixon Well illustrates the shifting nature of the river's course over time. This map serves as a detailed record of the intersections between Otero, Las Animas, and Pueblo counties, capturing a period when small reservoirs and named springs were the vital landmarks of the eastern Colorado plains.