1952 Map of Square S Ranch

About this map

Square S Ranch serves as the namesake landmark for this 1952 field-checked quadrangle in Rio Blanco County, situated where Cole Gulch meets the winding Piceance Creek. The landscape is defined by a dense network of watercourses and draws, including Dudley Draw and Ryan Gulch, which carved deep incisions through the high plateau. The map captures a moment of established ranching life and early resource management, marked by the presence of a Windmill and the Miller Hill Cem overlooking the valley. Elevation is a dominant theme, reaching from the creek beds up to the Dudley Bluffs and the prominent VABM 6794 Tower. The transition between Townships 1 and 2 South is meticulously recorded, providing a clear view of the land divisions and remote drainage systems like Yellow Creek and Horse Draw before later modern developments in the Colorado oil shale region.