1879 Wheeler Survey Map of Central Colorado

A chromolithograph survey map of the Rocky Mountains and environs in central Colorado, prepared in 1879 by George Wheeler and associates, representing the first detailed surveys of these lands.

A Closer Look

Coverage includes a portion of the Rockies west and southwest of Denver from the Blue River and Gore Range south to La Plata Peak (fifth highest in the Rockies) and the vicinity of Hartsel. Mountain peaks (with elevations recorded), valleys, rivers, creeks, and other geographic features are noted, as are roads (such as they were), rail lines, towns, and settlements. Railroads displayed include the Pueblo and Arkansas Valley Railroad, the Denver and South Park Division of the Union Pacific (formerly the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad), and the Eagle River Branch of the Denver and Rio Grande Railway. A road to Aspen is labeled at the far left. Small farming and mining settlements also appear, many simply described rather than named ('ranch,' especially, as well as 'gypsum,' 'soda springs,' and so on). Aside from Hartsel, other towns seen here still exist, including Frisco and Dillon (Dillon's Junction, which is now adjacent to a large reservoir created by a dam completed in 1963). These towns had emerged in the wake of the Colorado Gold Rush of 1859, which was largely responsible for giving the territory (and later state) its form and character.

The Wheeler Survey, 1872 - 1879

One of the 'Four Great Surveys' of the American West, the expedition led by U.S. Army officer George Montague Wheeler was tasked with creating geologic and topographic maps of the territory west of the 100th meridian at the scale of eight miles to one inch. Like the other three 'great surveys' that took place around the same time, led by Clarence King (Fortieth Parallel Survey), John Wesley Powell (Green and Colorado Rivers, including the Grand Canyon), and Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden (U.S. Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories, focusing on the Yellowstone Region), the Wheeler Survey collected a wide range of information on Native American cultures (including early photographs), flora, fauna, and other topics in addition to its surveying work. Veterans of these expeditions went on to illustrious careers in the military, geology, cartography, photography, painting, and other fields. In 1879, Congress formally merged these projects to create the U.S. Geological Survey.

Chromolithography

Chromolithography, sometimes called oleography, is a color lithographic technique developed in the mid-19th century. The process involved using multiple lithographic stones, one for each color, to yield a rich composite effect. Oftentimes, the process would start with a black basecoat upon which subsequent colors were layered. Some chromolithographs used 30 or more separate lithographic stones to achieve the desired product. Chromolithograph color could also be effectively blended for even more dramatic results. The process became extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when it emerged as the dominant method of color printing. The vivid color chromolithography produced made it exceptionally effective for advertising and propaganda imagery.

Publication History and Census

This map was prepared by George Montague Wheeler, with assistance from Louis Nell and Jno. J. Young, and was lithographed by Weyss, Herman, and Lang, likely employees of Julius Bien, for publication in the work Topographical Atlas Projected to Illustrate United States Geographical Surveys West of the 100th Meridian of Longitude, published between 1876 and 1881. This map should not be confused with an uncolored map of the same area, also classified as No. 52 (D), 'Part of Central Colorado' or the map 'Land Classification Map of Part of Central Colorado : Atlas Sheet No. 62(A)'. A physical example of this map is not independently cataloged in the OCLC, while the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection holds an example that has been populated as an online map in the OCLC.