BLM Cultural Resource Series: Colorado-Cultural Resources Series No. 17: Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado BLM Cultural Resources Series (Colorado: No. 17) LAND OF CONTRAST: A History of Southeast Colorado By Frederic J. Athearn 1985 Bureau of Land Management - Colorado Cultural Resources Series Number 17 TABLE OF CONTENTS co/17/index.htm Last Updated: 20-Nov-2008 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/blm/co/17/index.htm[10/4/2012 3:14:30 PM] Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado (Table of Contents) Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado BLM Cultural Resources Series (Colorado: No. 17) TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1 THE NATURAL SETTING 2 THE FIRST EUROPEANS 3 AN AMERICAN INVASION 4 THE NEW WEST IS EXPLORED 5 EARLY AGRICULTURAL SETTLEMENT 6 PIKE'S PEAK OR BUST 7 CONFRONTATIONS: REMOVAL AND TRANSITION 8 A PERIOD OF TRANSITION: INTO THE 1870's 9 A TIME OF BUILDING, 1870-1880 10 INTO MATURITY, 1880-1900 11 A PERIOD OF CHANGE: 1900-1920 12 HARD TIMES: 1920-1940 13 FROM WAR TO PROSPERITY: 1940-1980 Bibliography About the Author This document is in the public domain and may be quoted. Please credit either the Bureau of Land Management and/or the author. This document is printed in conjunction with the Southeast (Colorado) Planning http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/blm/co/17/contents.htm[10/4/2012 3:14:31 PM] Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado (Table of Contents) Analysis Update and the Raton Basin Coal Leasing Project. In addition, this volume serves as support for both the Update and Coal Leasing. This document is also integral to the Canon City District Cultural Resource Management Plan. Hardcopy edition designed by: Leigh Wellborn Series Editor: Frederic J. Athearn FOR Robert G. Athearn Historian, Friend, Father <<< Previous <<< Contents>>> Next >>> co/17/contents.htm Last Updated: 20-Nov-2008 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/blm/co/17/contents.htm[10/4/2012 3:14:31 PM] Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado (Foreword) Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado BLM Cultural Resources Series (Colorado: No. 17) FOREWORD This publication represents our final Class I History of Colorado. The volume provides baseline information about the history of the Bureau of Land Management's Royal Gorge and San Luis Resource Areas. This work contains the history of thirteen Colorado counties and a large geographic region ranging from South Park to the San Luis Valley, and eastward down the lower Arkansas River. A major objective of the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior, is to study and preserve significant cultural values. Evidences of our history and national heritage cover large areas of public lands. In order to provide for the orderly and careful evaluation of these places, these baseline narratives give our specialists and managers information by which to wisely conserve our historic traditions. This volume is the last of five histories that have been prepared by the Colorado State Office, Bureau of Land Management. I am pleased to note that in 1984 this series was presented with a Certificate of Commendation by the American Association of State and Local History for its excellence. I am pleased to share this award winning book with you, and I hope that BLM's contribution to the body of history is both long lasting and useful, to the professional and the general public alike. Kannon Richards State Director, Colorado Bureau of Land Management <<< Previous <<< Contents>>> Next >>> co/17/foreword.htm Last Updated: 20-Nov-2008 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/blm/co/17/foreword.htm[10/4/2012 3:14:32 PM] Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado (Acknowledgments) Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado BLM Cultural Resources Series (Colorado: No. 17) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In the course of writing a book of this size; any author accumulates many debts. Such an enterprise cannot be undertaken by just one person, any number of others help support projects like this. History is, by nature, the use of written documents, oral tradition, and other means by which mankind reveals his past. In this manner, many people helped me create this document. First, John Beardsley, Canon City District Archaeologist, provided direction and balance for this project. His pointed comments and useful insights made this a far better work. Mel Clausen, Stub Freer, and Stu Wheeler, of our Canon City District Office, helped by providing field support and encouragement. Thanks to them, life was much easier. Since the primary resources used in this compilation are located in Denver, the staffs of the Colorado Historical Society's Steven Hart Library, the Western History Collection of the Denver Public Library, and the Western History Collection of the University of Colorado (Boulder) Library are to be thanked. Also, the Las Animas Public Library, the La Junta Public Library, the Lamar Public Library, and other local sources like newspapers, were most helpful. A special thanks to the late Fred M. Betz, Sr., of Lamar, who took time to give me some extra help. The folks at the Prowers County Historical Society (Big Timbers Museum) and at the Bent's Old Fort National Monument were very useful in their assistance and providing me with "leads." Various persons read and critiqued this work. Among them, Steven F. Mehls, John Beardsley and the late Robert G. Athearn provided comments that pointed up errors of fact and grammar. Steve Mehls, in particular, is owed a great big "thanks" for his work that provided some of the notes that were used in this document. Equally Paul O'Rourke's partial manuscript detailing the history of the Royal Gorge Resource Area was liberally used by this author. Also, both Cecil Roberts and Dave Strunk, of the BLM's Colorado State Office, were major contributors to this book, for they allowed me the time to write it. Were it not for their open encouragement and direct actions, this project could never have been completed. Of equal importance to this effort is Donna Diercks, who typed the manuscript from my crude draft. She kindly made corrections in grammar as she went, and entered the whole thing on her magic word processor. Thank you, Donna. Thanks also to Tricia Lucero, who typed, and Bettie Smith, who retyped, the Bibliography in a most efficient manner. Frederic J. Athearn Denver, Colorado 1984 <<< Previous <<< Contents>>> Next >>> co/17/ack.htm Last Updated: 20-Nov-2008 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/blm/co/17/ack.htm[10/4/2012 3:14:32 PM] Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado (Acknowledgments) http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/blm/co/17/ack.htm[10/4/2012 3:14:32 PM] Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado (Introduction) Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado BLM Cultural Resources Series (Colorado: No. 17) INTRODUCTION Southeast Colorado, defined as that area from the Continental Divide east to the Kansas line, north to about Colorado Springs, and south to the New Mexican border, is a land of far- ranging contrasts. From the snowy Rockies to the wind swept eastern plains, history has seen this land change from nomadic natives wandering its peaks and valleys to heavy industrialization by modern society. While the first humans to use this region were Native Americans, who survived by exploiting natural resources, the first Europeans into the southeast corner were Spanish. Spain's attempts to expand her empire were not overly successful, and there were no settlements of consequence in this part of what was later to become Colorado. Perhaps the greatest Eighteenth century event was the Comanches' 1779 defeat near the Greenhorn Mountains. The early 1800's saw a new invasion of Europeans, this time Americans in search of fur. The fur trade lasted until about 1840. Forts were established, and the plains boomed. The famous Santa Fe Trail was established to bring goods into Santa Fe, New Mexico. Bent's Fort served as the primary outpost of civilization on the eastern prairies. However, like everything else, the fur days were not destined to last. As beaver fur ran out, hunters turned to the plains and buffalo. The great herds were decimated, and by 1860 nothing was left to exploit. The land was abandoned except for a few New Mexican settlers, who clung to the earth in the San Luis Valley. The New Mexicans came to the Valley to take up land grants from Mexico's government. However, the Mexican War of 1846 caused this region to become part of the United States, and the older Mexican land grants were in litigation for a number of years. Nevertheless, settlers from 1850 forward built little villages, particularly San Luis, in 1852. They dug irrigation ditches and tilled the soil. On the other side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, settlements were established along the Huerfano and Purgatoire Rivers. These plazas barely sustained agriculture. On the Arkansas River, El Pueblo (or Milk Fort) provided passers by and local farmers with supplies and food. This place was wiped out in 1854 by Ute warriors. The Pike's Peak gold rush of 1859 is where modern history begins for southeastern Colorado. In that year some 100,000 would-be miners rushed into the Rockies when gold was discovered along Cherry Creek, later the site of Denver. By 1860, South Park was flooded with miners; the Upper Arkansas saw preliminary exploration activity; and gold seekers crossed the San Luis Valley ready to invade the San Juans.