Maps, 1884-1953

The Larimer County District Court Map Collection is arranged in one series, in order of case number. These case numbers are 1591, 2031, 2196, 2282-2283, 2313, 2378, 2409, 2731, 2798, 2840, 2841, 2892, 2984, 3078, 3137, 3242, 3442, 3553, 3595, 3632, 4190, 4652, 5362, 6343, 8293, 9595, 10768, 10799, 11089, and 11217.

A few maps encompass water diversion structures in Weld County. At least seven maps are associated with the Colorado-Big Thompson Project and maps listed under case number 11089 are U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service maps. Approximately four maps show information not related to water, such as an early 1900s map of the town of Wellington, a 1920s map of Fort Collins, a map of the Stove and Box Prairie areas and a 1936 highway and transportation map of Larimer County. Case number 9595 contains two black-and-white aerial photographs that depict Front Range topography.

The maps were first organized by case number located on the paper binding and some were further organized by exhibit number, if it existed, usually handwritten on the map binding. Maps arranged by case number and exhibit number include 1591, 6343, 9595 and 10799. Some maps contained exhibit numbers or letters and additional handwritten numbers on the bindings. These handwritten numbers are indicated in parentheses in the inventory and may indicate the order in which the maps were presented in court. Maps arranged according to case number and handwritten number include 3242, 11089 and 11217. Maps associated with one court case number with no exhibit or other numbers were arranged alphabetically by title and include 2031, 2313, 2378, 2409, 2798, 2840, 2841, 2892, 3442, 3595, 5362 and 10768.

A few notes about the inventory in this finding aid: section, township and range numbers appear on the majority of the maps; however, those listed in the inventory give a general location and may not encompass all sections listed on the maps. Maps containing claim statements, also called filing statements, are indicated by the phrase "claim made." Information typically included in such statements includes the size, carrying or storage capacity of a canal or reservoir, and pump information for wells. These statements also list the date construction on the water diversion commenced. This date is noted in the inventory following the phrase "work commenced." Please note, this does not mean construction was completed the same year. Commencement dates could indicate a survey of the project was completed and did not necessarily mean actual construction. The source for the water diversions was included in the inventory when it was listed and specific enough on the map. Most maps are blueprints or reverse blueprints, both hand drawn and printed, and are 24 inches high by 36 inches wide, unless otherwise noted.