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1904 Map of Telluride

Name: 1904 Topographic Map of Telluride
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1904
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1904

About this map

High-altitude silver and gold mining dominates this 1904 survey of the San Juan Mountains, centered on the bustling industrial hub of Telluride and the nearby milling center of Pandora. The landscape is a dense network of extraction, with legendary operations like the Smuggler Mine, Sheridan Mine, and Virginius Mine clinging to the steep basins above the San Miguel River. This era represents the peak of the region's vertical economy, where heavy machinery and ore were moved via the Rio Grande Southern R.R. through critical transit points like Vance Junction and Ophir Sta.

Beyond the major shafts, the map identifies local landmarks essential to the mining community, including the Ames (P.O.), the Gold King Mill, and the spectacular Bridal Veil Fall. Settlement patterns follow the narrow canyon floors and rail lines, from the ranching at Schmeck's Ranch to the remote mining camps at San Bernardo and Ophir. The intricate topography, surveyed just before the turn of the century, highlights the precarious relationship between the rail infrastructure and the formidable peaks of the Yellow Mountain and San Miguel Peak.