1893 Map of Springfield

About this map

Springfield sits at the junction of early roads and watercourses in the high plains of southeastern Colorado. This reconnaissance survey, conducted by R.B. Marshall and T. E. Grafton, documents the drainage systems of the region before the arrival of modern irrigation and heavy development. The landscape is defined by its intermittent and seasonal water features, including the winding course of Bear Creek to the north and Cat Creek closer to the central settlement. Multiple branches of Sand Arroyo cut through the sandy, elevated terrain, illustrating the natural erosion patterns of the arid High Plains. The map provides a look at the foundational transport network of the county, showing a web of early trails and wagon roads that radiated from the fledgling county seat into the surrounding prairie long before the modern highway system was established.