{"product_id":"old-map-of-westcliffe-colorado-by-usgs-1955-custer-county-sangre-de-cristo-mountains-lake-deweese","title":"Old Map of Westcliffe, Colorado by USGS, 1955 – Custer County, Sangre de Cristo Mountains \u0026 Lake DeWeese","description":"\u003cp\u003ePublished in 1957 from 1955 survey work, the US Geological Survey’s “Westcliffe” quadrangle captures a compelling mid-century portrait of Custer County, Colorado, at a scale designed for close reading of the land. Centered on the small mountain town of Westcliffe, the map presents the community not as an isolated settlement, but as part of a dramatic high-country landscape shaped by watercourses, roads, ridges, and open country. Its precise contouring and measured detail reflect the USGS tradition of practical scientific cartography, while also giving the map an understated elegance. Every line has purpose: the arrangement of streets, the course of creeks, the pattern of trails, and the swelling form of the surrounding terrain combine to document a specific moment in the region’s development.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWestcliffe lies in one of Colorado’s most visually arresting settings, near the great wall of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. On this map, the mountainous character of the region is expressed through dense, rhythmic contour lines that reveal elevation changes with remarkable clarity. These contours transform the landscape into a sculptural composition, showing slopes, ridgelines, basins, and drainage patterns with scientific precision. The Sangre de Cristo range, among the most dramatic mountain chains of the southern Rockies, forms the geographical and emotional backdrop to the area. The map’s topographic language allows the viewer to understand how settlement, travel, ranching, and water use were all shaped by altitude and relief in this rugged portion of Colorado.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe waterways shown on the map give structure and vitality to the Westcliffe landscape. Hardscrabble Creek, Willow Creek, and other smaller drainages trace the logic of the terrain, marking the paths by which snowmelt and rainfall move through the valleys and foothills. Lake DeWeese appears as an important local landmark, reflecting the region’s long relationship with water storage, agriculture, and recreation. In an arid mountain environment, such hydrological details are far more than incidental features; they reveal patterns of habitation and land use. The USGS’s careful rendering of creeks, reservoirs, and surrounding contours makes the map a valuable record of how natural systems and human needs intersected in mid-twentieth-century Custer County.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond Westcliffe itself, the map records a network of roads, trailways, and rural infrastructure threading through open country and broken uplands. These routes suggest the practical geography of the period: access to ranches, movement between small settlements, and passage through the foothills and surrounding hills. The Bull Domingo Hills add further texture to the mapped landscape, their forms conveyed through contouring and terrain shading that emphasize the uneven, working character of the region. Rather than presenting Colorado as a wilderness abstraction, the map shows a lived-in landscape—one of routes, fences, water sources, cultivated pockets, and remote stretches. It is a document of everyday movement across a demanding but richly varied western terrain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a product of the United States Geological Survey, this map belongs to one of the most important cartographic enterprises in American history. The USGS was created to bring order, accuracy, and scientific rigor to the understanding of the nation’s landforms, resources, and waters, and its quadrangle maps became indispensable tools for engineers, planners, geologists, hikers, and local governments. The 1950s were a period of expanding infrastructure and changing rural landscapes across the American West, making this “Westcliffe” map especially evocative. It preserves the area before later waves of growth and environmental change, offering a finely detailed view of Custer County at a pivotal moment between traditional mountain settlement and modern transformation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWestcliffe\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCuster County\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSangre de Cristo Mountains\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHardscrabble Creek\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBull Domingo Hills\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLake DeWeese\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWillow Creek\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVarious trailways and roads depicted\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the US Geological Survey, this historical 1:24,000 topographical map shows Westcliffe, Colorado, and the surrounding area.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe map is dated 1955 and carries a 1957 imprint.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePublished by the US Geological Survey, a U.S. government scientific agency known for comprehensive mapping and research, especially in geology and hydrology.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe map uses contour lines to depict elevation and color coding to indicate varying terrain types.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGeographic landmarks and human infrastructure are emphasized throughout the map.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe map illustrates the mountainous terrain of the area with detailed elevation changes and vegetation patterns.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIt provides insight into the geographical state of Westcliffe and its surroundings in the mid-20th century.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChanges in infrastructure, population growth, and environmental conditions since the map’s creation give it historical significance.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/fr\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":59891943899520,"sku":null,"price":361.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":59891943932288,"sku":null,"price":970.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":59891943965056,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":59891943997824,"sku":null,"price":361.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":59891944030592,"sku":null,"price":970.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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