Loading map...

1973 Map of Wetzel Creek

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Wetzel Creek
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

The rolling plains along the Adams Co Washington Co line define this 1970s landscape, where energy extraction and dryland ranching intersect. The Big Beaver Oil Field occupies the eastern portion of the terrain, characterized by a network of oil wells, Drill Holes, and service infrastructure like the prominent substation and various pipelines. These industrial features cut across the natural drainage patterns of Wetzel Creek and Beaver Creek, reflecting the intensity of local petroleum production during this era.

Genealogists and local historians will find the northern corner particularly interesting, where Swan Cem sits near the headwaters of Badger Creek. The map provides an exacting look at the rural section lines and physical improvements of the time, including the inclusion of a fireline and numerous fence lines. This document preserves the late-twentieth-century industrial footprint on a sparsely populated stretch of the Colorado High Plains.