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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 activity along the North Fork Gunnison River centers on the settlement of Somerset, a key node for the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad in the mid-1960s. The map illustrates a landscape shaped by coal mining and water management, with the Bear Mine and Oliver Mine situated near the riverbanks. The Oliver Power Plant and Filtration Plant suggest the infrastructure required to support these operations and the surrounding Gunnison National Forest.

High plateaus like Buck Mesa and Thousand Acre Flats rise sharply above the narrow river valley, which is carved by numerous drainages including Elk Creek and Coal Gulch. Irrigation is evident through the Fire Mountain Canal, while several jeep trails provide access to remote areas like Springhouse Park. This survey captures the region during a period of established mining, showing the specific locations of a Radio Tower and even a Ski Lift on the eastern edge of the quadrangle.