Old Map of Denver, Colorado by USGS, 1935 – Aurora, South Platte River & Cherry Creek

Published in 1935 by the United States Geological Survey, “East Denver Nos. 3 and 4” captures a pivotal moment in the metropolitan life of Denver, Colorado, when the city’s eastern districts and neighboring communities were expanding into the surrounding plains. The map’s original title has the practical precision characteristic of USGS quadrangle work, yet beneath that simplicity lies a richly informative portrait of a city in transition. Denver appears not merely as a point on the Front Range urban corridor, but as a growing organism of neighborhoods, roads, rail lines, waterways, and open land. Aurora and the eastern approaches to Denver are shown within a landscape where settlement, transport, and terrain were increasingly intertwined.

The United States Geological Survey was, by the 1930s, one of the most authoritative mapping institutions in the world, producing topographical maps that served engineers, planners, scientists, surveyors, and public officials. Founded in 1879, the USGS brought systematic rigor to the mapping of America’s landscapes, combining field survey, geodetic control, and standardized cartographic design. This map reflects that institutional clarity: contour lines communicate subtle elevation changes, grid lines assist orientation, and the arrangement of natural and built features allows the viewer to understand the region analytically as well as visually. It is a document shaped by science, but also by the needs of a modernizing nation.

Denver’s position at the meeting point of plains, waterways, and routes of movement gives the map much of its fascination. The South Platte River and Cherry Creek, both essential to the city’s geography and history, help structure the mapped landscape, tracing corridors that influenced settlement, industry, and transportation. Railroads and major roads mark the arteries of economic life, connecting residential districts, commercial areas, and nearby communities. Parks and open spaces appear alongside denser developed zones, suggesting the balance between urban growth and the spacious geography of Colorado’s high plains. In these details, the map reveals how landform and infrastructure together shaped Denver’s expansion.

As a topographical work, the map is especially valuable for the way it makes elevation visible. Denver’s landscape is often imagined in relation to the dramatic mountains to the west, but this sheet emphasizes the nuanced terrain of the eastern city and its surroundings. Contour lines reveal gradients, drainage patterns, and the gently changing surface of the plains, details crucial to understanding construction, agriculture, transportation, and water management. Such information would have been indispensable in the 1930s, as planners and engineers confronted questions of suburban development, roadway alignment, flood behavior, and civic expansion. The result is both technically precise and historically evocative.

Viewed today, “East Denver Nos. 3 and 4” is a compelling historical snapshot of Denver during the Depression-era decade, before the enormous postwar expansion that would transform the metropolitan area. It invites comparison between the city shown here and the Denver of later generations: neighborhoods that would densify, roads that would become major corridors, and open lands that would be absorbed into the urban fabric. Aurora’s presence is particularly resonant, marking an area that would grow dramatically over the twentieth century. For collectors, historians, and admirers of Colorado cartography, the map offers a refined and information-rich record of urban change in motion.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Denver
• Aurora
• Various neighborhoods of Denver
• South Platte River
• Cherry Creek
• Highways and major roads
• Railroads
• Parks
• Landmarks

Historical context & cartographic details

• Created in 1935 using historical survey data from the same year.
• Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
• Focuses on East Denver and surrounding areas during a period of urban advancement.
• Provides a historical snapshot of Denver in the 1930s.
• Useful for studying urban growth, land-use changes, population density, and infrastructure development over time.
• Features a detailed topographical style with contour lines showing elevation changes.
• Includes grid lines for orientation and navigation.
• Shows significant terrain detail, including elevation variations typical of the Denver region.
• Reflects both natural and built environments, illustrating urbanization trends in and around Denver.

Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.

Detailed 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.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x16in (40x40cm) version of this map.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.

Every 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.

With 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 rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.