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1955 Map of Westcliffe

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Westcliffe
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Westcliffe and Silver Cliff anchor this mid-century survey of the Wet Mountain Valley, a region where mining heritage and ranching geography intersect. The town layouts are shown in detail, including the Courthouse and Fairground in Westcliffe, while an Old Railroad Grade traces a path through the valley floor, hinting at the earlier industrial transport routes of Custer County. The landscape is defined by the transition from the high mountain peaks like Oak Grove Mtn and Mitchell Mountain to the water-managed lands around De Weese Reservoir.

Mineral exploration is evidenced by the Bull Domingo Mine and the Defender Mine, located among the Bull Domingo Hills and White Hills. Beyond the settlements, the map documents the network of drainage gulches such as Titusville Gulch and Sevenmile Gulch that feed into Grape Creek. For those interested in the area's aviation and recreation history, the Valley Airstrip and Lake De Weese Lodge provide specific points of interest from this 1950s era.