1955 Map of Telluride

About this map

Telluride serves as the focal point of this mid-century survey, situated in a narrow valley floor carved by the San Miguel River. The landscape is dominated by the industrial footprint of hard-rock mining, with the town and nearby Pandora flanked by dozens of operations such as the Smuggler Mine, Liberty Bell Mine, and the high-elevation Tomboy settlement. In the surrounding basins, the map documents the infrastructure required for high-altitude extraction, including the Stillwell Tunnel and numerous tailing ponds. Beyond the industrial zones, the terrain rises sharply to prominent landmarks like Bridal Veil Falls and the serene Alta Lakes. The marginal notes contain a rare archival detail, noting that land lines were omitted in several townships due to "alleged fraud or defects in the surveys," reflecting the complex history of early Western land claims.