Exploring Public Domain Maps and Imagery - Historic Denver West

There is plenty you can learn about an area, just by looking at its maps. And no, I am not just talking about locations like the best place to get a bite to eat. I am talking about history. You can really understand the history of a place, when you look at the historic maps that are available to you, and it is all thanks to free public domain data. Public domain data is information that is free for public use, like online maps.

Doing some light examination of the Denver West area (Lakewood, Golden, in Colorado.), the following historic maps and imagery, referenced below, are just two aspects of free public domain data. There is so much more beyond imagery and maps, and even more maps and more imagery (i.e. MODIS, LANDSAT, other NASA products). So if you think you are up to the task, read on, and learn a little more about the Denver West area through its historic maps.

Historic Maps

Below, we see USGS Topo Map that are 1-meter Quads and clockwise:

*Please note that not all maps may download due to firewall or internet-security reasons. For more information, please visit this link.

Golden – Download – 1939 – 1942 – 1944 – 1957

6 Different dates for 15 Quads 1939-1965

Arvada – Download – 1941 – 1944 – 1950 – 1957 – 1965

5 Different dates for 12 Quads 1941-1965

Morrison – Download – 1938 –1942– 1947 – 1957 —1965

5 Different dates for 11 Quads 1938-1965

Fort Logan – Download – 1941 – 1948 – 1957 – 1965

4 Different dates for 8 Quads 1939-1965

Historic Imagery

Historic Imagery type	Year	Metadata	Thumbnail (Actual Files range from 20-200 MB)
Digital Orthophoto Quadrangles (DOQs)	1994	Entity ID: DI00000000912683 Acquisition Date: 23-SEP-94 Map Name: FORT LOGAN State: CO
National Aerial Photography Program (NAPP)	1988	Entity ID: NP0NAPP001033224 Coordinates: 39.8125 , -105.03125 Acquisition Date: 10-JUL-88
National High Altitude Photography (NHAP)	1983	Entity ID: AR5800028950066 Coordinates: 39.671135 , -105.043794 Acquisition Date: 25-JUN-80 Scale: 120400	Download ~30MB file
Space Acquired Photography
Single Frame Records Black-and-white, natural color, and color infrared aerial photographs 400 or 1,000 dpi.	1978	Entity ID: AR1VEQP00010142 Coordinates: 39.688989 , -105.053705 Acquisition Date: 01-SEP-78 Scale: 78000
Aerial Photo Mosaics (Used when creating early/mid-USGS Topo Maps)	1953	Entity ID: ARDDA001260930776 Coordinates: 39.5 , -105.5 Acquisition Date: 25-SEP-53 Scale: 63299	Download the 30MB file

High Resolution OrthoImagery (Corrected – Generally .3 meter, color)		2002 – HistoricOrthoCoverageAreas.kml
Declass 1 (1996) Stereo Images	1965	Entity ID: DS1027-1015DA011 Coordinates: 39.69 , -104.516 Camera Resolution: Stereo Medium Acquisition Date: 10-DEC-65
Declass 2 (2002) Stereo Images	1966	Entity ID:DZB00403500080H001015 Coordinates: 42.49 , -103.45 Acquisition Date: 10-DEC-66 Camera Resolution: 2 to 4 feet