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1964 Map of Somerset

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Somerset
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

Industrial operations along the North Fork Gunnison River dominate this landscape within the Gunnison National Forest. The settlement of Somerset serves as a central hub, where the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad tracks parallel the river to support local resource extraction. Evidence of the region's mid-century energy economy is visible through the Oliver Power Plant, a nearby Filtration Plant, and several active coal works including the Bear Mine, Oliver Mine, and Clark Mine.

Beyond the river canyon, the topography rises sharply toward expansive plateaus such as Buck Mesa and the wide Thousand Acre Flats. The map records a lonely Grave on a hillside overlooking the river, providing a poignant detail for genealogists. High-altitude features like Springhouse Park and The Narrows are accessible only by a network of pack trails and jeep trails, reflecting the area's transition from industrial river valley to wilderness.