%1 http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/ en Colorado Congressional Districts http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorado-congressional-districts <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Colorado Congressional Districts</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2020-06-09T14:59:51-06:00" title="Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - 14:59" class="datetime">Tue, 06/09/2020 - 14:59</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorado-congressional-districts" data-a2a-title="Colorado Congressional Districts"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Fcolorado-congressional-districts&amp;title=Colorado%20Congressional%20Districts"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Colorado is divided into seven Congressional districts according to population, with each district represented by an elected member of the United States House of Representatives. Colorado representatives serve two-year terms, as required by the US Constitution. There are no term limits for members of Congress. Colorado’s longest-serving representative is currently Democrat <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/diana-degette"><strong>Diana DeGette</strong></a>, who has served since 1997.</p> <h2>Descriptions</h2> <p>Colorado’s First Congressional District encompasses the city of <a href="/article/denver"><strong>Denver</strong></a>. The Second District covers northern Colorado, including <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/fort-collins"><strong>Fort Collins</strong></a>, <a href="/article/grand-county"><strong>Grand County</strong></a>, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/boulder"><strong>Boulder</strong></a>, and <a href="/article/summit-county"><strong>Summit County</strong></a>. The Third District encompasses all of <a href="/article/western-slope"><strong>western Colorado</strong></a>, the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/san-luis-valley"><strong>San Luis Valley</strong></a>, and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/pueblo-county"><strong>Pueblo County</strong></a>. The Fourth District includes all of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorado’s-great-plains"><strong>Great Plains</strong></a> and southeast Colorado. The Fifth District includes <a href="/article/colorado-springs"><strong>Colorado Springs</strong></a>, <a href="/article/park-county"><strong>South Park</strong></a>, and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/cripple-creek"><strong>Cripple Creek</strong></a>. The Sixth and Seventh Districts cover the rest of the Denver Metro area, including <strong>Aurora</strong> and <strong>Littleton</strong> (Sixth), and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/golden"><strong>Golden</strong></a>, <strong>Arvada</strong>, and <strong>Westminster</strong> (Seventh).</p> <h2>Representatives</h2> <p>First District—Diana DeGette (D), elected 1996</p> <p>Second District—<a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/joe-neguse"><strong>Joe Neguse</strong></a> (D), elected 2018</p> <p>Third District—<strong>Scott Tipton</strong> (R), elected 2010</p> <p>Fourth District—<a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/ken-buck"><strong>Ken Buck</strong></a> (R), elected 2014</p> <p>Fifth District—<strong>Doug Lamborn</strong> (R), elected 2006</p> <p>Sixth District—<strong>Jason Crow</strong> (D), elected 2018</p> <p>Seventh District—<strong>Ed Perlmutter</strong> (D), elected 2006</p> <h2>History</h2> <p>From its founding in 1861 until statehood in 1876, the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a> was represented in Washington, DC, by one delegate, elected by popular vote. After statehood, the delegate became a representative, and the number of representatives depended on state population, as laid out in the US Constitution. From 1913 to 1915, the state had two representatives. Since then Colorado has added more districts as its population has grown, reaching its current total of seven in 2012.</p> <h2>Notable Representatives</h2> <p>Colorado’s first territorial delegate was <strong>Hiram P. Bennet</strong>, Republican, who served from 1861 to 1865. The first US representative for the state of Colorado was <strong>James B. Belford</strong>, Republican, who served from 1876 to 1877 and again from 1879 to 1885.</p> <p>In the twentieth century, a pair of Democratic representatives helped protect Colorado’s public lands and water resources. <strong>Edward T. Taylor</strong>, who served from 1909 to 1941, authored the <strong>Taylor Grazing Act of 1934</strong>, which regulated grazing on federal land. Taylor’s successor, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/wayne-aspinall"><strong>Wayne Aspinall</strong></a>, represented Colorado’s Fourth District from 1949 to 1973 and is known for his <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/irrigation-colorado"><strong>irrigation</strong></a> projects and defense of <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/water-law"><strong>water</strong> <strong>rights</strong></a> on the <a href="/article/western-slope"><strong>Western Slope</strong></a>. Aspinall championed the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorado-river"><strong>Colorado River</strong></a> Storage Project of 1956.</p> <p><a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/patricia-pat-schroeder"><strong>Patricia Schroeder</strong></a> became the first congresswoman in Colorado history when she was elected as a Democrat to represent the state’s First District in 1973. Her successor, Diana DeGette, has continued Schroeder’s advocacy for women’s and reproductive rights, among other progressive causes. Meanwhile, <a href="/article/greeley"><strong>Greeley</strong></a> native <strong>Marilyn Musgrave</strong> was the first Republican woman elected to Congress in Colorado, representing the state’s Fourth District from 2003 to 2009. Musgrave staunchly opposed abortion, gun control, and unions and was consistently recognized as one of the most conservative members of Congress.</p> <p>Elected to represent Colorado’s Third District in 1986, <strong>Ben Nighthorse Campbell </strong>was the first member of the <strong>Cheyenne</strong> Tribe to serve in Congress. Campbell began his political career as a House Democrat but switched to the Republican Party after he was elected to the Senate in the early 1990s.</p> <p>Current governor <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/jared-polis"><strong>Jared Polis</strong></a>, Democrat, represented Colorado’s Second District from 2009 to 2019. His successor in the Second District, <strong>Joe Neguse</strong>, Democrat, became Colorado’s first African American elected to the House of Representatives.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/congress" hreflang="en">congress</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/colorado-representatives" hreflang="en">colorado representatives</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/democrats" hreflang="en">democrats</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/republicans" hreflang="en">republicans</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/politics" hreflang="en">Politics</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/colorado-politics" hreflang="en">colorado politics</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/congressional-districts" hreflang="en">congressional districts</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/house-representatives" hreflang="en">house of representatives</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/colorado-congresspeople" hreflang="en">colorado congresspeople</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/diana-degette" hreflang="en">diana degette</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/pat-schroeder" hreflang="en">Pat Schroeder</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/bob-beauprez" hreflang="en">bob beauprez</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/edward-t-taylor-0" hreflang="en">edward t taylor</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Carl Abbott, Stephen Leonard, and David McComb, <em>Colorado: A History of the Centennial State </em>3rd ed. (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 1994).</p> <p>Colorado State Board of Education, “<a href="https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeboard/congressional_district_map">Colorado Congressional District Information</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Govtrack, “<a href="https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/CO#representatives">Colorado Representatives</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Haley Gray, “<a href="https://www.5280.com/meet-joe-neguse-colorados-first-african-american-congressman/">Meet Joe Neguse, Colorado’s First African-American Congressman</a>,” <em>5280 Magazine</em>, January 16, 2019.</p> <p>US House of Representatives, “<a href="https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/22724">Taylor, Edward Thomas</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, “<a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/rangelands-and-grazing/livestock-grazing/about">About Livestock Grazing on Public Lands</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Herman J. Viola, <em>Ben Nighthorse Campbell: An American Warrior </em>(Boulder, CO: Johnson Books, 2002).</p> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p>Eugene Berwanger, <em>The Rise of the Centennial State: Colorado Territory, 1861–76 </em>(Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2007).</p> <p>Thomas E. Cronin and Robert D. Loevy, <em>Colorado Politics and Policy: Governing a Purple State </em>(Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2012).</p> <p>Thomas J. Noel and Carol Zuber-Mallison, <em>Colorado: A Historical Atlas </em>(Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2015).</p> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Tue, 09 Jun 2020 20:59:51 +0000 yongli 3276 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Elbert County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/elbert-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Elbert County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2506--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2506.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/elbert-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Elbert_County_0.png?itok=WFfWpSha" width="1024" height="741" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/elbert-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Elbert County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Elbert County, located on Colorado's Great Plains southeast of Denver, was established in 1874.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2508--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2508.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/elbert-county-0"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Elbert_County%20%281%29.png?itok=aLB5bYcE" width="1024" height="741" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/elbert-county-0" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Elbert County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Elbert County, named for former Colorado territorial governor <strong>Samuel H. Elbert</strong>, covers 1,851 square miles on the <a href="/article/colorado%E2%80%99s-great-plains"><strong>Great Plains</strong></a> southeast of <a href="/article/denver"><strong>Denver</strong></a>.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> <button class="carousel-control-prev" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="prev"> <span class="carousel-control-prev-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Previous</span> </button> <button class="carousel-control-next" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="next"> <span class="carousel-control-next-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Next</span> </button> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-04-27T16:44:40-06:00" title="Thursday, April 27, 2017 - 16:44" class="datetime">Thu, 04/27/2017 - 16:44</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/elbert-county" data-a2a-title="Elbert County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Felbert-county&amp;title=Elbert%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Elbert County, named for former Colorado territorial governor <a href="/article/samuel-elbert"><strong>Samuel H. Elbert</strong></a>, covers 1,851 square miles on the <a href="/article/colorado%E2%80%99s-great-plains"><strong>Great Plains</strong></a> southeast of <a href="/article/denver"><strong>Denver</strong></a>. It is bordered to the north by <a href="/article/arapahoe-county"><strong>Arapahoe County</strong></a>, to the east and south by <a href="/article/lincoln-county"><strong>Lincoln County</strong></a>, to the south by <a href="/article/el-paso-county"><strong>El Paso County</strong></a>, and to the west by <a href="/article/douglas-county"><strong>Douglas County</strong></a>.</p> <p>Established in 1874, Elbert County today has a population of 23,086 and is one of the fastest-growing counties in Colorado. The town of <strong>Kiowa</strong> (population 723) is the county seat. Other communities include <strong>Elizabeth</strong> (1,358), Simla (618), <strong>Elbert</strong> (230), and the small community of Agate (no population listed). Like neighboring Lincoln County, Elbert County has a long history associated with transportation, beginning with the Smoky Hill emigrant trail in the mid-nineteenth century and continuing through the railroad and interstate highway eras. Today <a href="/article/interstate-70"><strong>Interstate 70</strong></a> runs across the county’s northeast corner, while State Highway 86 connects the communities of Ponderosa Park, Elizabeth, and Kiowa in western Elbert County and US Highway 24 links Simla and the small community of Matheson farther south.</p> <p>Owing to its proximity to the Rocky Mountain foothills, western Elbert County contains more tree cover than its neighbors farther out on the plains. The county also features a multitude of streams and creeks: Kiowa Creek and the three branches of Bijou Creek flow northward into the <a href="/article/south-platte-river"><strong>South Platte River</strong></a>, while Big Sandy Creek eventually feeds the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/arkansas-river"><strong>Arkansas River</strong></a>.</p> <h2>Native Americans</h2> <p>From around AD 1000 to 1400, members of the <a href="/article/upper-republican-and-itskari-cultures"><strong>Upper Republican and Itskari</strong></a> cultures occupied parts of eastern Colorado, including present-day Elbert County. These semisedentary peoples fished, farmed, and hunted<strong> <a href="/article/bison">bison</a></strong>, living in <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/earth-lodge"><strong>earth lodges</strong></a> and crafting distinctive ceramic pots. While they seemed to thrive in eastern Colorado for nearly three centuries, it appears that environmental pressures—most likely drought—caused them to gradually abandon the region. There is little evidence of their presence in the area by the mid-fifteenth century.</p> <p>The Comanche, a horse-mounted people who expanded southward from western Wyoming in the eighteenth century, moved through the Elbert County area in the mid-eighteenth century on their way to the Arkansas River valley. By the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the expanding Lakota had displaced other equestrian peoples from the upper Midwest and northern plains, including the <strong>Arapaho</strong>, <strong>Cheyenne</strong>, and <strong>Kiowa</strong>. These people moved south onto the plains of Wyoming and Colorado. The Ute people, who had occupied Colorado’s mountains since the fourteenth century, also frequented the Elbert County area.</p> <p>The Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Kiowa followed buffalo herds across the plains, living in portable dwellings called <a href="/article/tipi-0"><strong>tipis</strong></a>. During the notoriously harsh plains winters, they found shelter near bluffs and in <a href="/article/cottonwood-trees"><strong>cottonwood</strong></a> groves along the river bottoms. While the Cheyenne and Kiowa rarely left the plains, the Arapaho made a habit of venturing into the mountains to hunt game in the high country. Occupying much of the same territory and fighting common enemies such as the Lakota and <a href="/search/google/ute"><strong>Ute</strong></a>, the Cheyenne and Arapaho formed an alliance in the early 1800s.</p> <p>On maps in the United States and Europe, the Elbert County area was nominally part of France until 1803, when it was transferred to the United States via the Louisiana Purchase. The first American military explorations of what became Colorado—those of <a href="/article/zebulon-montgomery-pike"><strong>Zebulon Pike</strong></a> (1806–07) and <strong><a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/stephen-h-long">Stephen Long</a> </strong>(1820)—followed over the next two decades, but the Elbert County area, along with the rest of Colorado, remained exclusively the domain of Native Americans.</p> <p>In 1840 the Kiowa, Comanche, and Lakota joined the Cheyenne and Arapaho in an unprecedented alliance with a similar goal: to resolve territorial disputes and better deal with the growing number of whites, who were by then migrating west along the Oregon Trail and competing with Native Americans for resources on the northern Great Plains. That traffic only increased after the end of the Mexican-American War and the discovery of gold in California in 1848.</p> <p>To make the westward journey safer for white Americans, the federal government brokered the <a href="/article/treaty-fort-laramie"><strong>Treaty of Fort Laramie</strong></a> in 1851. Signed by the Cheyenne, Lakota, Arapaho, and other Plains Indian groups, the treaty affirmed indigenous sovereignty across the plains. It also promised annual payments to Native Americans in exchange for allowing the building of roads and forts and ensuring that white emigrants could pass safely through their territory.</p> <h2>Rush across the Plains</h2> <p>Two events in the late 1850s both pushed and pulled white Americans from the eastern United States to Colorado. First, an economic downturn began in September 1857. The next year, <strong>William Green Russell</strong>’s party found gold near the <a href="/article/front-range"><strong>Front Range</strong></a> of the Rocky Mountains, which set off the <a href="/article/colorado-gold-rush"><strong>Colorado Gold Rush</strong></a> of 1858–59. Thousands of people seeking gold and a fresh start began streaming across the plains to Colorado. Native Americans viewed this as a breach of their sovereignty embedded in the Treaty of Fort Laramie, as whites cut precious timber along the riverbanks, killed buffalo and other game, trampled grass for grazing with their wagon trains, and began establishing towns such as Denver and <strong>Colorado City</strong>. The Colorado Gold Rush prompted the organization of the <a href="/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a> and the <a href="/article/treaty-fort-wise"><strong>Treaty of Fort Wise</strong></a> in 1861. Under the new treaty, the Cheyenne and Arapaho were granted a reservation just to the southeast of present-day Elbert County.</p> <p>During the Colorado Gold Rush, four routes—northern, north-central, south-central, and southern—took immigrants across the <a href="/article/colorado%E2%80%99s-great-plains"><strong>Great Plains</strong></a> to the Rockies. The two central routes followed the Republican and Smoky Hill Rivers, passing through present-day Elbert County. The Smoky Hill route was presumed to be the most direct, but it was also the least known and most dangerous, as it included a disorienting riverless stretch in eastern Colorado. When travel between Denver and places east became more regular in the 1860s, stagecoach companies operated lines along the central routes.</p> <p>The gold rush of 1858–59 brought the first white settlers to what is now Elbert County. Many were unlucky gold seekers who decided to stay in the area and set up sawmills or ranches. At that time, the <strong>Black Forest</strong>, which today lies just over the El Paso County line, reached into present-day Elbert County, and logs from the area helped build some of Denver’s first buildings. Early sawmills included the Gomer family sawmill just south of present-day Elbert and the Aldar Bassatt sawmill near present-day Elizabeth.</p> <p>By the late 1860s, most of Colorado’s Cheyenne and Arapaho people had been forcibly removed from the Elbert County area under the terms of the <a href="/article/medicine-lodge-treaties"><strong>Medicine Lodge Treaty</strong></a> of 1867.</p> <h2>County Development</h2> <p>Elbert County was established in 1874, the last year of Samuel Elbert’s governorship. It originally extended from the Kansas border in the east to the current Douglas County line in the west. At that time, there were fifty-two post offices listed in the county; by the late 1970s, only ten of these remained on the map, testifying to the broader trend of booms and busts across Colorado. Kiowa, one Elbert County town that has endured, was established in 1859 as a stage stop—known as “Middle Kiowa—along the Smoky Hill Trail. After the county was formed, Middle Kiowa quickly built a courthouse, making it the logical choice for county seat.</p> <p>Other towns were established with the coming of the railroads in the 1870s and 1880s. The Kansas Pacific Railway arrived first, in 1870, and the ranching community of Agate was established along its tracks in 1876. In 1881 former territorial governor <a href="/article/john-evans"><strong>John Evans</strong></a> organized the Denver &amp; New Orleans Railroad (D&amp;NO), and later that year it reached the site of Elizabeth—a town Evans named after his sister-in-law. The D&amp;NO proceeded southward, reaching the present site of Elbert in 1881, and that town was officially platted in 1884. In 1889 Elbert County assumed its current boundaries with the creation of Lincoln, <a href="/article/kit-carson-county"><strong>Kit Carson</strong></a>, and <a href="/article/cheyenne-county"><strong>Cheyenne</strong></a> Counties.</p> <p>The arrival of the railroads put Elbert County towns on the map, but some did not truly begin to develop until after 1900, when a second wave of homesteaders arrived. Agate, for instance, developed during <a href="/article/colorado-world-war-i"><strong>World War I</strong></a>, when the Union Pacific Railroad, the largest landholder in the area, began selling land.</p> <p>Like all counties on the Colorado plains, Elbert County was hit hard by the <a href="/article/dust-bowl"><strong>Dust Bowl</strong></a> and <strong>Great Depression</strong> of the 1930s. Between 1929 and 1934, the number of farms reporting crop failure more than doubled, falling from 486 to 1,025. In all, the depression caused more than 1,100 people to leave Elbert County by 1940.</p> <p>Compounding the economic disaster of the 1930s was the deadly Kiowa Creek flood of 1935, the worst natural disaster in county history. Arriving on May 30, the flood washed away nearly half of the town of Elbert, including the railroad tracks and depot, and killed three people. After the flood, Elbert residents built dams and water ponds to slow future floodwaters, efforts that have so far proved effective in preventing catastrophic floods. While Elbert’s pre-flood days remain mostly a memory, several surviving buildings, including the Sacred Heart and St. Mark Presbyterian Churches, as well as a segment of trackless D&amp;NO railroad grade, allow glimpses into what Elbert looked like before the disaster.</p> <h2>Agricultural Changes</h2> <p>The decades following <strong>World War II</strong> saw innovations in agriculture, including machinery such as combines, chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides, and the development of <strong>center-pivot irrigation</strong>. These changes not only allowed for larger farms but also encouraged the consolidation of farmland by those who could afford to invest in the new machinery and chemicals. Between 1950 and 1982, the average farm size in Elbert County increased by more than 300 acres, while the number of farms dropped from 811 to 611, even though the amount of farmland remained the same.</p> <h2>Today</h2> <p>Today agriculture remains the main economic driver in Elbert County. The county raises more than 30,000 head of cattle and is also one of the state’s top producers of horses and other draught animals, with more than 1,400. Elbert County also ranks in the top third of Colorado counties in wheat production.</p> <p>Elbert County’s culture mirrors its rural traditions of farming and ranching. The annual Elizabeth Stampede and Rodeo, for instance, has been a mainstay of the small town for more than fifty years and has become one of the most popular annual events on the Colorado plains. In 2015 more than 9,000 people attended the Elizabeth Stampede, which is on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Mountain States Circuit and draws rodeo enthusiasts from Colorado and across the American West.</p> <p>Beyond agriculture, the roots of a real estate boom in northwestern Elbert County began in the 1970s with the development of Ponderosa Park and The Pinery, both bedroom communities of Elizabeth and <strong>Parker</strong>. As outgrowths of Denver’s expanding metropolitan area, these neighborhoods grew significantly between 1990 and 2000, when more than 10,000 people moved to Elbert County. The county added another 3,200 residents between 2000 and 2014, making it one of the fastest-growing counties in Colorado.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/elbert-county" hreflang="en">elbert county</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/elbert-county-history" hreflang="en">elbert county history</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/kiowa" hreflang="en">kiowa</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/elizabeth" hreflang="en">elizabeth</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/evans" hreflang="en">evans</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/john-evans" hreflang="en">John Evans</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Margee Gabehart, <em>History of Elbert County, Colorado </em>(Dallas: Curtis Media, 1989).</p> <p>Pekka Hämäläinen, <em>The Comanche Empire </em>(New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2008).</p> <p>History Colorado, “<a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/oahp/elbert-county">Elbert County</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Neighborhood Scout, “<a href="https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/co/elizabeth/ponderosa-park">Elizabeth, CO (Ponderosa Park)</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Neighborhood Scout, “<a href="https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/co/parker/the-pinery">Parker, CO (The Pinery)</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Larry T. Smith, “<a href="https://www.parkerhistory.org/">Parker’s Railroad History</a>,” Parker Area Historical Society, updated January 2009.</p> <p>Elizabeth Stampede, “<a href="https://www.elizabethstampede.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Press_ESR_2015-Rodeo-Wrapup.pdf">Stampede names its champions!</a>” June 10, 2015.</p> <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2012/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/">2012 Census of Agriculture County Profile: Elbert County Colorado</a>,” National Agricultural Statistics Service.</p> <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="http://agcensus.mannlib.cornell.edu/AgCensus/getVolumeOnePart.do?year=1935&amp;part_id=770&amp;number=41&amp;title=Colorado">Colorado</a>,” US Census of Agriculture, vol. 1, part 41 (1935).</p> <p>US Department of Agriculture, “Wyoming and <a href="https://usda.library.cornell.edu/">Colorado. Chapter B: Statistics for Counties</a>,” US Census of Agriculture, vol. 1, part 29 (1950).</p> <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="http://agcensus.mannlib.cornell.edu/AgCensus/getVolumeOnePart.do?year=1982&amp;part_id=6&amp;number=6&amp;title=Colorado">Colorado</a>,” US Census of Agriculture, vol. 1, part 6 (1982).</p> <p>Elliott West, <em>The Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers, and the Rush to Colorado </em>(Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1998).</p> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p><a href="https://www.elbertcounty-co.gov/">Elbert County</a></p> <p><a href="https://elbertcountymuseum.org/">Elbert County Museum</a></p> <p>Elizabeth Stampede</p> <p>Mark Gardner, <em>Elbert County: Window to the Past </em>(Kiowa, CO: Elbert County Historical Society, 1993)</p> <p><a href="https://townofkiowa-co.gov/">Kiowa</a></p> <p>Lincoln Rogers, “<a href="https://www.thefencepost.com/news/elizabeth-stampede-proves-why-it-is-prcas-best-small-rodeo/">Elizabeth Stampede proves why it is PRCA’s best small rodeo</a>,” <em>The Fence Post</em>, August 5, 2013</p> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Thu, 27 Apr 2017 22:44:40 +0000 yongli 2507 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Custer County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/custer-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Custer County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2453--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2453.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/custer-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Custer%20County%20Media%201_0.jpg?itok=j-Y4sxz1" width="1024" height="741" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/custer-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Custer County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Custer County is a rural, lightly populated county in south central Colorado.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-03-31T16:42:58-06:00" title="Friday, March 31, 2017 - 16:42" class="datetime">Fri, 03/31/2017 - 16:42</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/custer-county" data-a2a-title="Custer County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Fcuster-county&amp;title=Custer%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Custer County covers nearly 739 square miles in south central Colorado, spanning the <strong>Wet Mountain Valley</strong> between the <strong>Sangre de Cristo Mountains </strong>in the west and the Wet Mountains in the east. It is bordered by <a href="/article/fremont-county"><strong>Fremont County</strong></a> to the north, <a href="/article/pueblo-county"><strong>Pueblo County</strong></a> to the east, <a href="/article/huerfano-county"><strong>Huerfano County</strong></a> to the south, and <a href="/article/saguache-county"><strong>Saguache County</strong></a> to the west.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>As of 2015, Custer County has a population of 4,445. The county seat is <strong>Westcliffe</strong>, located in the heart of the Wet Mountain Valley at the junction of State Highways 69 and 96. The town of <strong>Silver Cliff</strong> lies just to the east along Highway 96. Farther east, in the Wet Mountains, are the ghost towns of <strong>Querida</strong> and <strong>Rosita</strong>, as well as the small communities of <strong>Greenwood</strong> and <strong>Wetmore</strong> along <strong>Hardscrabble Creek</strong>. The rest of the county is dotted with nearly 200 farms and ranches. Silver West Airport lies along Highway 69 south of Westcliffe.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Custer County was established in 1877 and named after Gen. George Armstrong Custer, who died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana (1876). Cattle ranching has been the primary industry in the county since the decline of mining in the late nineteenth century.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Early History</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Native Americans sporadically inhabited the area that would become Custer County for at least 10,000 years prior to the arrival of Europeans. <a href="/search/google/ute"><strong>Ute</strong></a> people dominated much of Colorado, including the Wet Mountain Valley east of the Sangre de Cristos, by the sixteenth century. As nomadic hunter-gatherers, the Utes took advantage of the mild summers of southern Colorado to hunt game and forage for edible plants throughout the foothills of the <a href="/article/rocky-mountains"><strong>Rocky Mountains</strong></a>.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The <strong>Comanche</strong> Empire extended into the Wet Mountain Valley in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but when its boundaries moved farther south, the Utes regained control of the region. Several other peoples, including the <strong>Arapaho</strong>, <strong>Pawnee</strong>, and <strong>Apache</strong>, also may have frequented the surrounding mountains and plains.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1779 Spanish forces under <strong>Juan Bautista de Anza</strong> defeated the Comanche leader <strong>Cuerno Verde</strong> near <strong>Greenhorn Peak</strong>, just south of Custer County. French and American fur trappers frequented the region in the early to mid-nineteenth century in search of valuable pelts. The valleys of the Sangre de Cristo Range proved to be an important crossroads for the powers vying for control of the future American Southwest. On his 1806 excursion to explore the southern portion of the Louisiana Purchase, <a href="/article/zebulon-montgomery-pike"><strong>Zebulon Pike</strong></a> followed Grape Creek, a tributary of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/arkansas-river"><strong>Arkansas River</strong></a>, into the Wet Mountain Valley; later that year, on the west side of the Sangre de Cristos, the Spanish arrested Pike and his men for trespassing. Other Europeans explored, hunted, and trapped in the area throughout the nineteenth century, including <a href="/article/kit-carson"><strong>Kit Carson</strong></a> and <a href="/article/john-c-frémont"><strong>John C. Frémont</strong></a>.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Mining and Settlement</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Following the <a href="/article/colorado-gold-rush"><strong>Colorado Gold Rush</strong></a> (1858–59), prospectors fanned out across Colorado’s <a href="/article/rocky-mountains"><strong>mountains</strong></a> in search of the next <a href="/article/precious-metal-mining-colorado"><strong>big strike</strong></a>. Several prospectors found promising ore near Grape Creek and Hardscrabble Canyon in 1863. Other prospectors found silver and lead ore in the Rosita Hills in 1872, but these first developments floundered and were soon abandoned.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1874, however, prospectors found copper and silver ores south of present-day Rosita in what would be called the Humboldt-Pocahontas Vein. The find produced over $900,000 in precious metals in its first fifteen years and drew miners to Rosita, a mining camp that boomed to a population of more than 1,200 by 1875. But that year proved to be the beginning of the end for Rosita, as notorious robber <strong>Walter C. Sheridan</strong> relieved the local bank of nearly all its funds. A fire in 1881, the folding of Rosita Bank, and the <strong>Denver &amp; Rio Grande Railroad</strong>’s (D&amp;RG) decision to bypass the town effectively rendered Rosita a ghost town.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Rosita was not the only mining venture in Custer County, however. In 1877 the ex-sailor-turned-prospector Edmund C. Bassick discovered gold and silver two miles north of Rosita and founded the Bassick Mine. Lead was also found in large quantities nearby; the Terrible Mine on Oak Creek produced nearly $750,000 in lead ore. The town of Querida was established in the late 1870s to supply local mines and had nearly 500 residents by the early 1880s. The Bassick produced nearly $2 million in gold and silver by 1885, when the mine closed due to rising labor tensions and falling ore production. Querida endured into the early twentieth century, when local mining experienced a brief revival. But when mining tailed off again, it became a ghost town.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Although some Hispano shepherds settled in the Wet Mountain Valley in the mid-nineteenth century, American farmers, cattle ranchers, and miners soon became the majority of the population. In 1869 Elisha P. Horn, John Taylor, Frank and George Kennicott, and William Vorhis settled different sites in the valley. Frank Kennicott built one of the region’s only two-story <a href="/article/kennicott-cabin"><strong>log cabins</strong></a>, a structure that endures today. Another pair of <a href="/article/homestead"><strong>homesteading</strong></a> brothers, Edwin and Elton Beckwith, established the <a href="/article/beckwith-ranch"><strong>Beckwith Ranch</strong></a> north of present-day Westcliffe in 1870. Despite its name, the Wet Mountain Valley is fairly dry, and these first settlers had to dig irrigation ditches in order to plant crops and raise livestock. Locals traded with other growing settlements, including <a href="/article/bents-forts"><strong>Bent’s Old Fort</strong></a> farther down the Arkansas River.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>More Americans were drawn to the area when the <a href="/article/homestead"><strong>Homestead Act</strong></a> of 1862 encouraged individual families to settle the American West. Though many farmers found success with that program, other communities were not so successful. In 1870, for instance, Carl Wulsten led a group of German factory workers and their families from Chicago to the Wet Mountain Valley. They settled at Colfax, fifteen miles west of Westcliffe, but a lack of farming experience and property issues doomed the town, and it was promptly abandoned. Some of the Germans found work in the nearby mines.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>On the eastern side of the Wet Mountains, another group of Illinoisans managed to establish a more permanent community. In 1870 twenty-five wagons from Spring Garden, Illinois, arrived at the spot where Hardscrabble Creek exited the mountains on its way to the Arkansas. There they established the settlement of Hammil, which is now Wetmore. The community gained a <a href="/article/wetmore-post-office"><strong>post office</strong></a> in 1879, a building that still stands today. In 1880 government surveyor Billy Wetmore came to the area and offered settlers pieces of his land on the condition that the town be named after him, giving rise to the present community of Wetmore.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1870 Edwin Beckwith brought 1,500 cattle from Texas to begin ranching in the area; his herd had increased to 13,000 by 1880, and Beckwith was elected state senator. Cattle ranching took hold in the county, but it would not become the dominant activity until the end of the mining era.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>County Development</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Possibly the most influential find in Custer County came in 1878, when prospectors found high-yield silver ore at a site appropriately named Silver Cliff. They opened lucrative mines, including the Bull Domingo, the King of the Valley, and the Lady Franklin. The town of Silver Cliff was founded near the mines and soon became the local hub for mining business. At its 1880 peak, the town hosted fourteen stamp mills and smelters and a population of 5,000; residents even campaigned to make Silver Cliff the capital of Colorado. They did not secure that title, but the region was populous enough to warrant its own county: Custer County was officially carved out of the southern portion of Fremont County in 1877 and Silver Cliff was later incorporated in 1879.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>By 1884 Custer County mines produced nearly $5 million in silver and other metals, but production dropped sharply thereafter. Mining in Silver Cliff dwindled in 1885, and the mines operated intermittently afterward. The Custer County population dropped from more than 8,000 in 1880 to fewer than 3,000 by 1890. Then, in the 1890s, new cyanide-leaching processes enhanced miners’ ability to extract gold bound to other minerals, which briefly renewed interest in county mines. Payouts following the initial boom were modest, however; annual production of gold and silver rarely surpassed $40,000 after 1890, and the county population continued to drop, tallying 1,947 by 1910.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The D&amp;RG completed its narrow-gauge line up Grape Creek to local iron mines and the Wet Mountain Valley by 1881, but repeated washouts prompted the line’s abandonment by the end of the decade. The area lacked a proper railway system until the D&amp;RG built a standard-gauge line to Westcliffe in 1900–1, stopping a mile short of Silver Cliff. A drop in silver prices during the <a href="/article/panic-1893"><strong>Panic of 1893</strong></a> contributed to the decline of Silver Cliff’s mining industry, and residents soon either left the area or moved to nearby Westcliffe, which became the county seat in 1929. As mines closed, locals began to turn to agriculture.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Return to Farming and Ranching</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Once limited to small-time farming and ranching operations that supported the mining districts, agriculture in Custer County greatly expanded as the turn of the century approached. During the 1890s, Custer County received state support to expand irrigation systems to combat dry conditions. The Custer County Reservoir, completed in 1892, supplied hay farmers with crucial moisture. These measures were the beginning of a unified <a href="/article/water-colorado"><strong>water</strong></a> policy in the state of Colorado. Later, the completion of the DeWeese Reservoir in 1902 augmented the county’s agricultural water supply.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Increased global demand during <a href="/article/colorado-world-war-i"><strong>World War I</strong></a> also helped local agriculture, which brought a final wave of homesteaders to the marginal lands around the Arkansas River and the Wet Mountain Valley. Among them was the <strong>Mingus <a href="/article/homestead">Homestead</a></strong>, a small ranch in the Wet Mountains established by Pueblo resident Allan Mingus in 1913. The Custer County population rebounded during this period, reaching 2,172 by 1920. Dryland farms growing red wheat became the dominant feature of the county landscape.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>A little more than a decade later, however, dry conditions coupled with overcultivation led to the environmental catastrophe known as the <a href="/article/dust-bowl"><strong>Dust Bowl</strong></a>. Even though Custer County’s population remained steady, it suffered greatly during the 1920s and 1930s on account of declining commodity prices after World War I and the <strong>Great Depression</strong> of the 1930s. <a href="/article/new-deal-colorado"><strong>New Deal</strong></a> projects provided some relief, but it took renewed demand for farm products during World War II to revive the county’s agricultural industry. Since then, cattle ranching and tourism have become the main economic drivers in Custer County.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Today</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Today, 212,500 acres—about 75 percent of the county’s land—are used for agriculture, and ranchers raise more than 9,000 cattle and calves. With the expansion of automobile ownership and highways in the early decades of the twentieth century, tourists also began visiting Custer County, a trend that continues today.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Today, the county remains primarily rural, with just over a quarter of its citizens residing in Westcliffe and Silver Cliff. Outdoor recreation opportunities abound in Custer County, which contains around 189,000 acres of public land, including the Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness Area, the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area, and the San Isabel National Forest. Visitors enjoy hiking, rock climbing, camping, hunting, fishing, bird watching, and other activities. Custer County is home to a diverse cast of wildlife, including seventy-three species of birds and thirty-eight species of mammals, from eagles and falcons to <a href="/article/rocky-mountain-elk"><strong>elk</strong></a> and <a href="/article/bighorn-sheep"><strong>bighorn sheep</strong></a>.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The county also attracts tourists each summer with the High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival in Westcliffe, the county fair and rodeo, and a classic car show. Custer County provides a serene destination for Coloradans looking to escape the busy and rapidly developing <a href="/article/front-range"><strong>Front Range</strong></a></p>&#13; </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/custer-county" hreflang="en">custer county</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Carl Abbott, Stephen J. Leonard, and Thomas J. Noel, <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=ti%3A%22Colorado:%20A%20History%20of%20the%20Centennial%20State%22" title="Find in a library with WorldCat (external link)"><em>Colorado: A History of the Centennial State</em></a> 4th ed. (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2005).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Wayne I. Anderson, “<a href="https://uni.edu/~andersow/historicmines.html">The Historic Mines of Custer County, Colorado</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Frederic J. Athearn, “<a href="https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/blm/co/17/contents.htm">Land of Contrast: A History of Southeast Colorado</a>,” BLM Cultural Resources Series (Colorado: No. 17), updated September 20, 2008.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>F. Jeannie Culpin, “<a href="https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=%22Wetmore%20Post%20Office,%22" title="Find in a library with WorldCat (external link)">Wetmore Post Office,</a>” National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (February 15, 2008).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Custer County Chamber of Commerce, “<a href="http://www.custercountyco.com/custer-county-history">Custer County History</a>,” updated 2016.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Custer County Planning Commission, “<a href="http://www.custercountygov.com/pdf/Master%20Plan.pdf">Custer County Master Plan</a>,” April 10, 2002.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Sandra Dallas, <em>Colorado Ghost Towns and Mining Camps</em> (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1985).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>DeWeese-Dye Ditch and Reservoir Company, “<a href="https://deweeseditch.com/History.html">History of DeWeese Ditch and Reservoir</a>,” 2017.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Charles W. Henderson, “Mining in Colorado: A History of Discovery, Development and Production” USGS Professional Paper 138 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, March 22, 1926).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>History Colorado, <a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/oahp/custer-county">Custer County</a>, n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Jonathan C. Horn, “<a href="http://focus.nps.gov/GetAsset?assetID=a9358e76-e9fa-448f-a307-7115a2aca699">Mingus Homestead</a>,” National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form (December 4, 1989).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Donald A. MacKendrick, “<a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/files/Researchers/ColoradoMagazine_v52n1_Winter1975.pdf">Before the Newlands Act: State-sponsored Reclamation Projects in Colorado, 1888-1903</a>,” <em>Colorado Magazine </em>52, no. 1 (Winter 1975).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Robert A. Murray, “<a href="https://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/wo/Planning_and_Renewable_Resources/coop_agencies/new_documents/co3.Par.19710.File.dat/Murray.pdf">A History of the Raton Basin: Las Animas, Huerfano, and Custer: Three Colorado Counties on a Cultural Frontier</a>,” Bureau of Land Management Cultural Resource Series 6, 1978.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Census Bureau, <a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/08027">Custer County Quick Facts</a>, updated 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2012/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/">2012 Census of Agriculture County Profile—Custer County, Colorado</a>,” Census of Agriculture, 2012.</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p><a href="http://www.custercountygov.com/">Custer County</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p>Joanne West Dodds, <em>Custer County at a Glance: Featuring Rosita, Silver Cliff, and Westcliffe</em> (Pueblo, CO: Focal Plain, 2007).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Joanne West Dodds, <em>Custer County: Mountains, Mines and Ranches</em> (Pueblo, CO: Paperworks, 1992).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Irene Francis and Charles Proctor, “<a href="https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=%22Kennicott%20Cabin,%22" title="Find in a library with WorldCat (external link)">Kennicott Cabin,</a>” National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (July 12, 1996).</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://highmountainhayfever.org/">High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.summitpost.org/wet-mountains/581533">Summit Post: Wet Mountain Valley</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p>Gayle Turk, <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=ti%3A%22Wet%20Mountain%20Valley%22" title="Find in a library with WorldCat (external link)"><em>Wet Mountain Valley</em></a> (Colorado Springs: Little London, 1975).</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://visitwetmountainvalley.com/things-to-do/arts-culture/history-heritage/">Visit Custer County: History &amp; Heritage</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://visitwetmountainvalley.com/">Westcliffe</a></p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Fri, 31 Mar 2017 22:42:58 +0000 yongli 2452 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Rio Blanco County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/rio-blanco-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Rio Blanco County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2450--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2450.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/rio-blanco-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Rio_Blanco_County_0.png?itok=Jvt6bgtJ" width="1024" height="741" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/rio-blanco-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Rio Blanco County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Rio Blanco County, named after the Spanish word for "white river," was established in 1889.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-03-31T16:39:51-06:00" title="Friday, March 31, 2017 - 16:39" class="datetime">Fri, 03/31/2017 - 16:39</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/rio-blanco-county" data-a2a-title="Rio Blanco County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Frio-blanco-county&amp;title=Rio%20Blanco%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Rio Blanco County is a remote, mountainous county in northwestern Colorado covering 3,223 square miles. Named for the <strong>White River</strong>—“Rio Blanco” in Spanish—the county lies on the northern edge of the Colorado Plateau and is bordered to the north by <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/moffat-county"><strong>Moffat County</strong></a>, to the east by <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/routt-county"><strong>Routt County</strong></a>, to the south by <a href="/article/garfield-county"><strong>Garfield County</strong></a>, and to the west by the state of Utah. Rio Blanco County is widely known as the site of clashes between the Ute people and whites in the late nineteenth century and a burgeoning oil shale industry in the 1970s. The county also contains many scenic natural areas, including the <strong>White River National Forest</strong> and the <strong>Flat Tops Wilderness Area</strong>, one of the first designated wilderness areas in the United States.</p> <p>The county has a population of 6,707. More than a third of its residents live in the county seat of <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/meeker"><strong>Meeker</strong></a>, nestled in the White River valley against a steep ridge and ringed by mountains. About another third lives in <strong>Rangely</strong>, some fifty-seven miles downstream from Meeker on the White River. The two cities are connected by State Highway&nbsp;64, which runs east–west from Meeker until it connects with US 40 at the western edge of Moffat County. Agriculture, ranching, and energy industries drive&nbsp;the Rio Blanco County economy.</p> <h2>Native Americans</h2> <p>About ten miles south of present-day Rangely, the area known as <strong>Cañon Pintado</strong> is home to a large collection of Native American <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/rock-art-colorado"><strong>rock art</strong></a>, likely drawn by people of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/fremont-culture"><strong>Fremont culture</strong></a> between AD 400 and 1100 and <a href="/article/northern-ute-people-uintah-and-ouray-reservation"><strong>Ute</strong></a> people thereafter.</p> <p>From about the mid-sixteenth century until the late nineteenth century, the Rio Blanco County area was inhabited by three distinct bands of Utes. The Parianuche, or “Elk People,” and the Yampa, or “Root Eaters,” occupied most of the county’s territory while Uintah territory straddled the present-day border between Utah and Colorado. The Yampa wintered in the White River valley and ranged into the Flat Tops and southern Wyoming; the Parianuche wintered near present-day Glenwood Springs and ranged into eastern Utah and the Flat Tops.</p> <p>All three Ute bands fished and hunted elk, deer, and other mountain game. They also gathered a wide assortment of wild berries and roots, including the versatile yucca root. They were seasonal nomads, following game into the high mountain parks in the summer and returning down to the river valleys for the winter. By the 1640s, the Utes had obtained horses from the Spanish, which eased their nomadic lifestyle and allowed some of them to organize summer buffalo hunts on the plains.</p> <h2>Trappers and Explorers</h2> <p>On their way to find a connection between Santa Fé, New Mexico, and Monterey, California, the expedition of Spanish friars Francisco Dominguez and Silvestre Velez de Escalante crossed present-day Rio Blanco County in 1776. Fur trappers and traders frequented the area from the 1820s to the 1840s, finding plentiful <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/beaver"><strong>beaver</strong></a> at places such as Trappers Lake. Among the first whites to visit the Rangely area were men from <strong>Antoine </strong><strong>Robidoux</strong>’s <a href="/article/nineteenth-century-trading-posts"><strong>trading post</strong></a> on the <a href="/article/gunnison-river"><strong>Gunnison River</strong></a>.</p> <p>In 1868 the one-armed explorer, Maj. <strong>John Wesley Powell</strong>, his wife, and twenty of his students were the first Anglo-Americans to enter the Meeker area. They had come as part of an expedition to collect natural specimens from all over Colorado and made winter camp in the White River valley. That same year, <a href="/article/ute-treaty-1868"><strong>a treaty</strong></a> granted&nbsp;the Utes a reservation encompassing most of Colorado’s <a href="/article/western-slope"><strong>Western Slope</strong></a>. In 1869 the <a href="/article/white-river-ute-indian-agency"><strong>White River Indian Agency</strong></a> was set up nine miles east of present-day Meeker. The location was chosen on account of its remoteness and lack of white settlement.</p> <h2>Ute Removal and County Establishment</h2> <p>By 1876&nbsp;geographic data from the <strong>Hayden surveys</strong> produced the first accurate maps of northwestern Colorado, and a few years later, ranchers and miners were staking claims in river valleys and mountain parks throughout the Western Slope. The Utes, who had relied on the game and other resources in these places, now found their winter havens, such as Glenwood Springs,&nbsp;occupied by whites. The Utes’ resources dwindled and their promised&nbsp;<a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/indian-annuities"><strong>annuities</strong></a>—supplies and payments delivered&nbsp;by the US government—rarely arrived on time or at all.</p> <p>The breaking point finally arrived in the summer of 1879, after <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/nathan-meeker"><strong>Nathan C. Meeker</strong></a> was appointed Indian agent of the White River Agency. A devout and ambitious man, Meeker was highly critical of Ute culture and believed he could force the Utes to abandon their centuries-old way of life and become Christian farmers. He ordered his employees to plow fields and dig irrigation ditches on Ute lands, acts that the Indians fiercely and sometimes violently resisted.</p> <p>The tipping point came&nbsp;in September, when Meeker ordered one of the Utes’ favorite horse racing fields to be plowed. Tim, the son of a Ute named Johnson, shot at the agency employee who was plowing, and a few days later, Johnson slammed Meeker against a fence after the two got into an argument at Meeker’s home. Frightened, Meeker called for troops to protect himself and his employees. When four companies under Maj. Thomas Thornburgh entered the reservation near <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/battle-milk-creek"><strong>Milk Creek</strong></a> on September 29, 1879, they were met by Ute gunfire. The Utes kept federal troops pinned down for several days. Meanwhile, hearing that federal troops had been halted at Milk Creek, Utes at the agency turned on the staff, killing Meeker, nine employees, and a peddler. Meeker’s family was taken captive, not to be released until October 21.</p> <p>The "<a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/meeker-incident"><strong>Meeker Massacre</strong></a>," as it was soon called, terrified whites all over Colorado and prompted swift retaliation by the US government. More troops were sent in. A new treaty in 1880 took nearly all of the Utes’ land in Colorado, leaving a small strip of land along the New Mexico border to the Southern Ute bands. By 1882&nbsp;the army forced most of the remaining Northern Ute bands onto a new reservation in Utah.</p> <p>Fast on the heels of the displaced Utes were white Americans, who claimed former Ute land for ranches, farms, and towns. The first irrigation ditch for the town of Meeker&nbsp; was completed in 1884, and the town was incorporated a year later.</p> <p>Utes continued to range into the Rio Blanco area until 1887, when a Ute was allegedly murdered near Rangely. Ute protestors in Colorado then sparked the ire of local whites, and a battle near Meeker ended with federal troops and angry whites forcing the Utes back to Utah. In 1889 Rio Blanco County was carved out of the northern half of Garfield County.</p> <h2>White River National Forest</h2> <p>With the creation of a new county came controversies over land management. The White River Plateau Timberland Reserve was created in 1891 in response to exploitation by timber cutters and cattle ranchers. It was the first national forest in Colorado and the second in the nation, covering more than a million acres. As with similar proposals during this time, communities that relied on forest resources railed against the proposed White River Reserve. Newspapers such as the <em>Herald </em>in Meeker suggested that if the government wanted to prevent unnecessary destruction of forest resources, it should clamp down on fire-starting campers and game-killing hunters and Indians rather than shut down sawmills. After the forest reserve was established, Rio Blanco settlers complained that its boundaries&nbsp;infringed on lands needed for agriculture and ranching.</p> <p>In August 1897, Charles W. Ramer became the reserve’s first supervisor, and in 1901 President Theodore Roosevelt came to the forest to hunt <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/mountain-lion"><strong>mountain lion</strong></a>. Over the next four years, his administration cut the size of the forest by 227,200 acres and changed the name to the White River Forest Reserve. An act of Congress in 1907 then changed the names of all forest reserves to national forests. The Taft and Wilson administrations continued to reduce the size of the forest, paring&nbsp;it to 895,339 acres by 1941. However, the additions of the Blue River Corridor and the Green Mountain Reservoir areas in the 1970s brought the White River National Forest up to its current area of more than 2.2 million&nbsp;acres.</p> <h2>Energy Development</h2> <p>Like most land in northwest Colorado, Rio Blanco County sits over large deposits of oil shale, sheets of rock that release oil if exposed to enough heat. In the late 1910s, 250 companies sold stock in oil shale developments in Rio Blanco County. Only about a dozen actually began the process of heating the shale, but it was complicated and expensive, and after 1925, shale developers could not compete with cheap oil from Texas.</p> <p>The next oil shale boom came in the aftermath of oil shortages in the early 1970s. In that decade, the fields near Rangely accounted for about 76 percent of the state’s oil production. Extraction technologies had vastly improved, but the process again proved too costly. On Sunday, May 2, 1982—a day known to locals as “<strong>Black Sunday</strong>”—Exxon abandoned its development of Western Slope oil shale and put thousands out of work.</p> <p>Oil shale was not the only energy interest in northwest Colorado during the twentieth century. In 1973 the US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) detonated three nuclear devices 6,689 feet below the surface of a remote site about twenty-five miles southwest of Meeker. The blasts were engineered to release natural gas into a large subterranean cavity that could then be tapped by energy companies. The detonations succeeded in releasing a large amount of natural gas, but testing indicated the gas was radioactive and therefore unusable. The site was decommissioned in 1975. Testing by the AEC during site cleanup and subsequent annual testing by the US Environmental Protection Agency revealed no contamination of soil, groundwater, or surface <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/water-colorado"><strong>water</strong></a>. However, because radioactivity undoubtedly persists deeper in the ground, the US government retains ownership of land surrounding the site and prohibits drilling to depths of between 1,500 and 7,500 feet.</p> <p>A similar blast occurred in Garfield County in 1969 and has generated considerable controversy on account of the site’s proximity to roads and residential developments. The remoteness of the Rio Blanco site allowed it to avoid such controversy, but the expansion of natural gas drilling throughout the region in the early 2000s has generated mild concern about rigs accidentally tapping radioactive gas from the blast site.</p> <h2>Today</h2> <p>Although the coal, oil, and natural gas industries remain extremely important to the local economy, they have not turned Rio Blanco County into the booming energy hub that many have expected. The county currently has only two active coal mines, and although it sits atop rich deposits of oil and natural gas, a glut of natural gas on the world market and easier-to-develop crude oil in other states have drawn the attention of energy companies and driven down the price of both oil and gas. In March 2016, ExxonMobil again retreated from the area, relinquishing a federal lease for research, development, and demonstration on land southeast of Meeker. As of March 2017, Rio Blanco County had thirty-three operators producing oil and natural gas out of 2,245 wells, but production of both commodities has steadily declined since 2012.</p> <p>In addition to the challenges posed by market forces and geology, energy developers in Rio Blanco County have come under fire for pollution. In 2013 data from a monitoring station in Rangely showed local ozone levels to be 40 percent higher than the federal limit. This data was released after the <strong>Bureau of Land Management</strong> (BLM) leased 3,000 acres of coal-rich public lands to Blue Mountain Energy, the owner of the Deserado Mine near Rangely.</p> <p>Each year, the Deserado Mine produces between 2.5 and 3 million tons of coal, and its vent shafts blow about 23,000 tons of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. Methane from the mine, carbon dioxide from a nearby coal plant in Utah, and emissions from oil and gas drilling rigs in Rio Blanco and other counties have combined to create some of the highest levels of air pollution in the country.</p> <p>Much like the Los Angeles Basin in California, the bowl-like geography of the Piceance and Uinta basins in northwestern Colorado allows greenhouse gases to accumulate and produce smog. Around the same time the pollution data was released, several environmental groups, including WildEarth Guardians and the Western Colorado Congress, petitioned the EPA to designate the Uinta Basin a nonattainment zone, or one that has failed to meet EPA standards for air pollution. In May 2014, WildEarth Guardians filed a lawsuit against the BLM for allowing the expansion of Deserado Mine.</p> <p>Even as energy companies deal with criticism for their environmental impacts and lost profits from geology and market forces, they continue to be major contributors to the county economy. In 2010, for instance, oil and natural gas operations in Rio Blanco County employed 889 people, or about 23.4 percent of the county workforce. That year, the industries combined to pay nearly 37 percent of wages in the county. Yet county officials acknowledge that the local economy is diversifying; a market analysis in the 2015 Rio Blanco County Economic Development Strategy concluded that aviation, niche manufacturing, and tourism are all areas of economic opportunity. The 2015 report deemed the oil and gas industries’ vulnerability to market fluctuations as “the largest external threat the local economy faces.” For better or worse, those industries will likely continue to shape the future of Rio Blanco County.&nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/rio-blanco-county" hreflang="en">rio blanco county</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/rio-blanco-county-history" hreflang="en">rio blanco county history</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/meeker" hreflang="en">meeker</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/white-river" hreflang="en">white river</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/buford" hreflang="en">Buford</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/trappers-lake" hreflang="en">Trappers Lake</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/meeker-massacre" hreflang="en">meeker massacre</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/oil-shale" hreflang="en">oil shale</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/rangely" hreflang="en">rangely</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/western-slope" hreflang="en">Western Slope</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/roan-plateau" hreflang="en">roan plateau</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Frederic J. Athearn, <em>An Isolated Empire: A History of Northwestern Colorado</em> (Denver: Bureau of Land Management, 1982).</p> <p>Better City, “<a href="http://www.co.rio-blanco.co.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/529">2015 Rio Blanco County Economic Development Strategy: Community Assessment</a>,” 2015.</p> <p>Better City, “<a href="http://www.co.rio-blanco.co.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/531">2015 Rio Blanco County Economic Development Strategy: Market Analysis</a>,” 2015.</p> <p>Bob Berwyn, “<a href="https://summitcountyvoice.com/2014/05/25/lawsuit-aims-to-block-expansion-of-colorado-coal-mine/">Lawsuit aims to block expansion of Colorado coal mine</a>,” <em>Summit County Citizens Voice</em>, May 25, 2014.</p> <p>DrillingEdge, “<a href="https://www.drillingedge.com/colorado/rio-blanco-county">Oil &amp; Gas Production in Rio Blanco County, CO</a>,” updated January 2017.</p> <p>Garfield County Energy Advisory Board, <a href="https://www.garfield-county.com/oil-gas/documents/energy-advisory-board/7-Sept-2014-EAB-minutes-draft3.pdf">Meeting Minutes</a>, September 4, 2014.</p> <p>Andrew Gulliford, “<a href="https://www.hcn.org/wotr/black-sunday-30-years-later/">Black Sunday, 30 years later</a>,” <em>High Country News</em>, July 19, 2012.</p> <p>Jack Healy, “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/us/energy-boom-turns-to-bust-in-colorado.html?_r=0">Western Colorado struggles as energy jobs fade</a>,” <em>The New York Times</em>, June 28, 2012.</p> <p>Rich Lyttle, “<a href="https://www.theheraldtimes.com/contact-us/">Meeker history</a>,” <em>Rio Blanco Herald Times</em>, n.d.</p> <p>Steven F. Mehls and Carol Drake Mehls, <em>Routt and Moffat Counties, Colorado, Coal Mining Historic Context </em>(Lafayette, CO: Western Historical Studies, 1991).</p> <p>Jeremy Nichols, “<a href="https://wildearthguardians.org/press-releases/public-health-and-environmental-coalition-calls-for-immediate-smog-clean-up-on-colorados-western-slope/">Public Health and Environmental Coalition Calls for Immediate Smog Clean up on Colorado’s Western Slope</a>,” <em>WildEarth Guardians</em>, January 29, 2014.</p> <p>Virginia McConnell Simmons, <em>The Ute Indians of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico </em>(Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2000).</p> <p>US Forest Service, “<a href="https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/16156/WhiteRiverNationalForest.pdf;jsessionid=E17C045CA44E41386C8DAADF6D246D10?sequence=1">Golden Anniversary: White River National Forest</a>,” October 11, 1941.</p> <p>Dennis Webb, “<a href="https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/exxonmobil-again-retreats-from-oil-shale/">ExxonMobil again retreats from oil shale</a>,” <em>Grand Junction Daily Sentinel</em>, March 27, 2016.</p> <p>David O. Williams, “<a href="https://www.coloradoindependent.com/2009/07/01/rio-blanco-and-garfield-counties-a-tale-of-two-nuclear-gas-blasts/">Rio Blanco and Garfield counties: A tale of two nuclear gas blasts</a>,” <em>Colorado Independent</em>, July 1, 2009.</p> <p>Richard Wobbekind and Brian Lewandowski, “<a href="https://www.coga.org/pdf_studies/cu_econbenefits.pdf">Assessment of Oil and Gas Industry Economic and Fiscal Impacts in Colorado in 2010</a>,” Business Research Division, University of Colorado Boulder, December 2011.</p> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p>Ricki Buckles, <em>A History of the Upper White River Country—Meeker, Colorado </em>(Self published, 2005).</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.townofmeeker.org/">Town of Meeker</a>.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Forest Service, <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/whiteriver/learning/history-culture">Culture and History: White River National Forest</a>.</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Fri, 31 Mar 2017 22:39:51 +0000 yongli 2451 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Jefferson County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/jefferson-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Jefferson County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2448--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2448.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/jefferson-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Jefferson_County_0.png?itok=loSAsSjJ" width="1024" height="741" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/jefferson-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Jefferson County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Jefferson County, popularly known as "Jeffco," lies west of Denver. It was established in 1861 as one of the original seventeen counties of the Colorado Territory.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-03-31T16:35:04-06:00" title="Friday, March 31, 2017 - 16:35" class="datetime">Fri, 03/31/2017 - 16:35</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/jefferson-county" data-a2a-title="Jefferson County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Fjefferson-county&amp;title=Jefferson%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Jefferson County, commonly referred to as “Jeffco,” is named after former president Thomas Jefferson and covers 774 square miles in central Colorado west of Denver. Jeffco is bordered to the north by <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/boulder-county"><strong>Boulder</strong></a> and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/city-and-county-broomfield"><strong>Broomfield</strong></a> Counties, to the east by <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/adams-county"><strong>Adams</strong></a>, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/denver"><strong>Denver</strong></a>, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/arapahoe-county"><strong>Arapahoe</strong></a>, and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/douglas-county"><strong>Douglas</strong></a> Counties, to the south and west by <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/park-county"><strong>Park County</strong></a>, and to the west by <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/gilpin-county"><strong>Gilpin</strong></a> and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/clear-creek-county"><strong>Clear Creek</strong></a> Counties. Jeffco’s southeastern border follows the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/south-platte-river"><strong>South Platte River</strong></a> out of Waterton Canyon.</p> <p>With a population of 534,543 as of 2010, Jefferson County is the fourth populous county in Colorado. <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/golden-0"><strong>Golden</strong></a>, the county seat, sits at the mouth of <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/clear-creek-canyon-0"><strong>Clear Creek Canyon</strong></a> and has a population of 18,867. Most Jeffco residents—some 280,000—live in the Denver suburbs of <strong>Arvada</strong>, <strong>Wheat Ridge</strong>, and <strong>Lakewood</strong>, which are separated by the county’s major highways. In northern Jefferson County, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/interstate-70"><strong>Interstate 70</strong></a> divides Arvada to the north and Wheat Ridge to the south. Farther south, US Highway 6 divides Wheat Ridge and Lakewood. A conglomeration of suburban communities, including Columbine and Ken Caryl, lies across US Highway 285 south of Lakewood. The small community of <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/morrison"><strong>Morrison</strong></a> (population 430) is nestled against the foothills just south of I-70 and the mountain suburb of <strong>Evergreen </strong>(population 9,038) is located off State Highway 74 west of Morrison.</p> <p>Straddling mountains, cities, and plains, the county has a long and storied history that dates back to the Ute, Arapaho, and Cheyenne people, and white prospectors of the Colorado Gold Rush. Jeffco is also home to several popular areas within the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/denver-mountain-parks"><strong>Denver Mountain Parks</strong></a> system, including <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/red-rocks-park-and-amphitheatre"><strong>Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre</strong></a>, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/genesee-park"><strong>Genesee Park</strong></a>, and <strong>Lookout Mountain</strong>.</p> <h2>Native Americans</h2> <p>The Jefferson County area has a long history of human habitation, attracting groups of hunter-gatherers since prehistoric times. An archaeological site on <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/magic-mountain-archaeological-site"><strong>Magic Mountain</strong></a> south of Golden reveals that <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/paleo-indian-period"><strong>Paleo-Indian</strong></a> people hunted and gathered in the area as early as 4,000 BC.</p> <p>By the mid-sixteenth century, <a href="/article/northern-ute-people-uintah-and-ouray-reservation"><strong>Ute Indians</strong></a> occupied the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/front-range"><strong>Front Range</strong></a>, hunting <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/rocky-mountain-elk"><strong>elk</strong></a>, <a href="/article/mule-deer"><strong>mule deer</strong></a>, <strong>bison</strong>, and other game and gathering a wide assortment of berries and roots. In the summer they followed game into mountain parks, such as Jeffco’s Elk Meadow Park, while the present site of Golden was a favored winter camp. Utes lived in temporary dwellings such as <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/tipi-0"><strong>tepees</strong></a> or <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/wickiups-and-other-wooden-features"><strong>wickiups</strong></a>. By the 1640s, the Utes had obtained horses from the Spanish, and some groups began venturing onto the plains to hunt buffalo.</p> <p>By the early nineteenth century, <strong>Arapaho </strong>and <strong>Cheyenne </strong>peoples arrived in the Jeffco area. Unlike the Utes, who primarily lived in the mountains, and the Cheyenne, who mostly kept to the plains, the Arapaho ranged across both landscapes, following buffalo across the plains and warring with Utes for hunting ground in the high country. Like the Utes, the Arapaho and Cheyenne lived in wickiups or tepees and wintered in the area of present-day Denver and Golden.</p> <h2>Early American Era</h2> <p>The United States acquired present-day Jefferson County as part of the <strong>Louisiana Purchase</strong> in 1803. Official American exploration began with the arrival of Maj. <strong>Stephen H. Long</strong>’s expedition in 1820. Thereafter, white trappers and traders began filtering into the area, hunting <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/beaver"><strong>beaver</strong></a> and other fur-bearing animals.</p> <p>The late 1850s brought hundreds of <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/precious-metal-mining-colorado"><strong>gold seekers</strong></a> to Colorado’s Front Range. A significant discovery along Cherry Creek in 1858 by <strong>William Green Russell</strong>’s party is credited with setting off the <a href="/article/colorado-gold-rush"><strong>Colorado Gold Rush</strong></a> of 1858–59. In spring 1859, Russell again found pay dirt along Clear Creek. On November 29, 1858, Arapahoe City was established as the first white settlement in Jefferson County. <strong>John H. Gregory</strong>, a miner from Arapahoe City, kept Colorado’s gold fever running high when he made a discovery near present-day <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/central-city%E2%80%93black-hawk-historic-district"><strong>Black Hawk</strong></a> in May 1859.</p> <p>In June 1859, Golden City was established at the entrance of Clear Creek Canyon as a supply center for miners. In 1860 the surveyor <strong>Edward L. Berthoud</strong> arrived, and the next year he located <strong>Berthoud Pass</strong> and surveyed a wagon route from Golden City to Utah. Berthoud would become one of Golden’s most famous citizens, serving as speaker of the territorial legislature in 1866 and lending his name to the town of <strong>Berthoud</strong> in <a href="/article/weld-county"><strong>Weld County</strong></a>.</p> <p>With the establishment of mining camps and Golden City, the area’s indigenous people now had to contend with more than just each other for resources. Miners killed game and cut timber to build homes and mining structures and Golden City and Denver now lay atop the Indians’ prime wintering grounds.</p> <p>Seeing the Native Americans as a hindrance to white settlement and economic development, the US government sought to remove them. Some Arapaho and Cheyenne relocated to eastern Colorado after the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/treaty-fort-wise"><strong>Treaty of Fort Wise</strong></a> in 1861. In 1864 the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/sand-creek-massacre"><strong>Sand Creek Massacre</strong></a> in present-day <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/kiowa-county"><strong>Kiowa County</strong></a> provoked an all-out war between the United States and several Indian nations on the Colorado plains. In 1867 the <strong>Medicine Lodge Treaty</strong> created the Cheyenne-Arapaho Indian Reservation in present-day Oklahoma, and by 1869, most of Colorado’s Cheyenne and Arapaho had moved there. The <a href="/article/ute-treaty-1868"><strong>Treaty of 1868</strong></a>, meanwhile, created the Consolidated Ute Indian Reservation on Colorado’s Western Slope.</p> <p>By the fall of 1870, Golden and Denver were linked to the rest of the country by three separate rail lines, and the train whistles in Jefferson County signaled the end of one way of life and the beginning of another. The last documented Ute encampment, led by <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorow"><strong>Colorow</strong></a>, was recorded in 1876.</p> <h2>County Development</h2> <p>Jefferson County was created with the establishment of the <a href="/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a> in 1861, with Golden City as county seat. Although the economy was initially dependent on mining, farming and ranching also provided reliable income for the county’s first residents. Beginning in the late nineteenth century, Jefferson County developed first as a supplier of food and mountain resources to the larger metropolis of Denver and later as a resource-consuming metropolis itself.</p> <p>As one of Colorado’s two largest cities at the time, Golden City sparred with Denver to become the capital of the new territory. Golden City claimed greater importance because it represented the interest of the territory’s mining communities while Denver saw itself as a broker and political headquarters for the whole territory. After serving as territorial capital from 1862–67, Golden City ceded the title to its rival on the plains.</p> <p>The late nineteenth century was a period of rapid growth for Jefferson County. The county population grew from 2,390 in 1870 to 6,804 in 1880 and increased to 9,306 by the end of the century. By 1879, Golden, which had dropped the word <em>City</em> from its name in 1872, had grown into a prosperous city, albeit not without pitting itself against its rival, Denver. In the fight for the <strong>Colorado School of Mines</strong> during the late 1860s, Denver’s status as the state capital actually helped Golden’s case for hosting the college; the school was founded in Golden in 1874 to help train engineers and geologists for the mining industry. In 1873 German immigrant <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/adolph-coors"><strong>Adolph Coors</strong></a> and his partner Jacob Scheuler brought another major industry to Golden when they founded the Coors Brewery. Coors attained sole ownership in 1880. Today, the brewery remains one of the city’s major employers and tourist attractions.</p> <p>In 1869 <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/arthur-lakes"><strong>Arthur Lakes</strong></a>, a deacon of the Episcopal Church, came to Golden to preach in mining camps and teach drawing and geology at Jarvis Hall Collegiate School (later Colorado School of Mines). In 1877 Reverend Lakes was searching for plant fossils on the hogback formation above the town of Morrison (established in 1872) when he discovered a set of fossilized dinosaur bones. Lakes eventually sent samples of the fossils to the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University, setting off a rush of paleontologists to Jefferson County. The hogback yielded so many bones it eventually became known as <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/dinosaur-ridge"><strong>Dinosaur Ridge</strong></a>. Among the species discovered at Dinosaur Ridge were <em>Apatosaurus </em>and Colorado’s state fossil, <em>Stegosaurus.</em></p> <p>Jeffco’s rocks held more than gold and fossils. Coal mining began as early as 1859, and by 1880, there were ten coal mines in the county producing 45,000 tons per year. Though coal mining was essential to the state’s economic development, it proved to be extremely dangerous. In 1870, for example, a methane gas leak killed one of the owners of the Leyden Mine and in 1889 a flood at the White Ash Mine—on what is now the campus of Colorado School of Mines—killed ten workers.</p> <p>Miners of gold and coal had to be fed, and ranchers around Evergreen, Coal Creek Canyon, Conifer, and Pleasant Park raised cattle and chickens to sell in Golden, Denver, and Central City. Farmer David Wall dug the county’s first irrigation ditch off Clear Creek in 1859, and by the end of the year, the county had two more ditches. The farms that became the basis for the town of Wheat Ridge were also established in 1859.</p> <p>Arvada became one of the principal farming communities in early Jeffco. The town was founded in 1859 as Ralston Creek. It was originally named for Lewis Ralston, a member of the Cherokee party who made one of the first gold finds along the Front Range in 1850. In 1858 Ralston led a group of gold seekers back to the area, and when the surface gold was panned out, a number of miners took to farming. The fertile land between the creeks coming out of the mountains proved indispensable to feeding the mining communities.</p> <p>Arvada’s farmers supplied Denver with wheat, corn, oats, plums, melons, cherries, and strawberries, as well as celery and other vegetables. <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/william-ah-loveland"><strong>W.A.H. Loveland</strong></a>’s <strong>Colorado Central Railroad</strong> arrived in 1870, allowing farmers to more easily export their crops. By the time of its incorporation in 1904, Arvada declared itself “Celery Capital of the World.” As a suburb of Denver, the city grew rapidly throughout the twentieth century.</p> <p>Lakewood, another Denver suburb in Jeffco, was platted in the summer of 1889 by W.A.H. Loveland and Charles Wech. By 1891, electric trolleys connected Golden, Arvada, and Lakewood.</p> <h2>Twentieth Century</h2> <p>While its suburban population increased during the twentieth century, Jeffco increasingly sought to balance that development with the preservation of its many scenic natural areas. Genesee Park, for example, was established as Denver’s first mountain park in 1912 and, at 2,413 acres, is the largest in the system. In 1914 the park was the site of the reintroduction of buffalo and elk, two species that were hunted nearly to extinction in Colorado during the late nineteenth century.</p> <p>Towering above the town of Morrison is a cluster of large red sandstone outcrops. The natural setting of the rocks, which are over 250 million years old, offers near-perfect acoustics. This drew the attention of entrepreneur John Brisben Walker in the early 1900s. Walker was the first to use the Red Rocks area as a music venue, putting on several concerts between 1906 and 1910. In 1927 the city of Denver bought the site from Walker, and with the help of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/civilian-conservation-corps-colorado"><strong>Civilian Conservation Corps</strong></a> and the Works Projects Administration, completed construction of the modern amphitheater by 1941. The venue has since hosted many famous musicians, from the Beatles to opera singers and reggae groups. It also hosts the Easter Sunrise Service, an annual nonsectarian outdoor service that began in 1947. Red Rocks Park was designated a National Historic Landmark on August 3, 2015.</p> <p>In 1951 the US government set up a nuclear weapons facility on a floodplain between Boulder and Golden called <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/rocky-flats-nuclear-facility"><strong>Rocky Flats</strong></a>. The facility brought some 5,000 jobs to the Arvada community, but the large amount of radioactive waste it created posed a threat to workers and the environment. The top-secret facility often buried nuclear waste in the surrounding landscape and was prone to fires, the largest of which nearly ignited a regional catastrophe in 1969. From the time it opened until after a joint raid by the FBI and the US Environmental Protection Agency shuttered it in 1989, the Rocky Flats facility produced some 70,000 nuclear bomb cores. In 1991 the plant was decommissioned, and the government began cleaning up the surrounding area. Today, the Rocky Flats area is a wildlife refuge.</p> <p>In 1955 the aerospace manufacturing company Glenn L. Martin established a complex in southern Jefferson County. The company was renamed Martin Marietta Corporation in 1961 after merging with American Marietta Corporation, a sand and gravel supplier. In 1995 it merged with the aerospace company Lockheed, forming <strong>Lockheed-Martin</strong>. Today, the Lockheed-Martin facility is the largest employer in Jefferson County with 4,875 employees.</p> <p>As commercial and residential development expanded after World War II, Jeffco residents sought to put some of the county’s natural areas beyond the reach of bulldozers. In 1972 PLAN Jeffco and the League of Women Voters of Jefferson County proposed to the county commissioners a one-half of 1 percent sales tax increase that would support the preservation of natural areas within the county. Voters approved the tax, and <strong>Jeffco Open Space</strong> became the nation’s first county-level preservation program funded by a local sales tax.</p> <p>Important as they were to making Jefferson County a decent, peaceful place to live, robust economic development and a commitment to natural places did not prevent a national tragedy from occurring there. On April 20, 1999, two students went on a <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/columbine-massacre"><strong>grisly shooting</strong></a> spree at Columbine High School, killing twelve students, one teacher, and themselves. The shooting was a catalyst for increased security in public schools across the country, as well as national debates on gun control and investigations into bullying.</p> <h2>Today</h2> <p>Today, Lockheed-Martin remains a major employer in Jeffco, along with the Coors Brewery in Golden, two medical centers, and Terumo BCT, a medical technology company. Each provides more than 2,000 jobs. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden adds another 1,720. Suburban development in Jefferson County has expanded in surrounding communities such as Evergreen, Indian Hills, and Conifer.</p> <p>Although commercial businesses expand the county’s tax base and give residents the opportunity to live amid the scenic foothills, suburban development presents unique challenges, including management of natural areas and dealing with the threat of <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/wildfire-colorado#page-title"><strong>wildfire</strong></a>. In July 2015, for instance, the North Hogback Fire prompted the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to issue pre-evacuation orders for the suburban communities of Ken Caryl and North Ranch.</p> <p>Since its foundation in 1972, Jeffco Open Space has acquired 53,000 acres of land for preservation and helped create more than 3,100 acres of conservation easements on private land. To maintain the integrity of its natural spaces amid a growing population, the organization continues to enforce a lengthy list of rules for fishing, wildlife interaction, fires, and other activities.</p> <p>While most of Jefferson County today can be described as either suburban or urban, there are still more than 500 farms in the county producing melons, potatoes, and vegetable crops. The county’s cattle herd numbers about 2,000 and ranchers also raise about 2,800 horses and ponies.</p> <p>Jeffco has also endeavored to honor its Native American past, particularly the life of the Ute leader <strong><a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorow">Colorow</a></strong>. In 2013 the Jefferson County Historical Commission’s Landmark Designation Committee approved the Colorow Council Tree near Dinosaur Ridge as a county landmark. The tree, located on the historic <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/rooney-ranch"><strong>Rooney Ranch</strong></a>, indicates where Colorow met with white settlers to broker peace. The landmark designation protects the tree and the area around it from removal or development. Additionally, in October 2015, the Jefferson County Historical Commission inducted Colorow into the Jefferson County Hall of Fame, and an exhibit about the Ute leader opened in Evergreen’s Hiwan Homestead Museum in 2016.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/jefferson-county" hreflang="en">jefferson county</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/jeffco" hreflang="en">jeffco</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/jefferson-county-history" hreflang="en">jefferson county history</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/jefferson-county-historical-society" hreflang="en">jefferson county historical society</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/golden" hreflang="en">golden</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/adolph-coors" hreflang="en">adolph coors</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/lakewood" hreflang="en">lakewood</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/wheat-ridge" hreflang="en">wheat ridge</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/arvada" hreflang="en">arvada</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/colorado-gold-rush" hreflang="en">Colorado Gold Rush</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/evergreen" hreflang="en">evergreen</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/dinosaur-ridge" hreflang="en">Dinosaur Ridge</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/morrison" hreflang="en">Morrison</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/red-rocks-amphitheatre" hreflang="en">red rocks amphitheatre</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/colorow" hreflang="en">colorow</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Carl Abbot, Stephen Leonard, and David McComb, <em>Colorado: A History of the Centennial State</em> 3rd ed. (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 1994).</p> <p>City and Community of Arvada, “<a href="https://www.arvadaco.gov/about-arvada/arvada-history/">Arvada History</a>.”</p> <p>City of Golden, “<a href="https://golden.com/history.htm">Golden History</a>.”</p> <p>Oscar Contreras, “<a href="https://www.denver7.com/traffic/traffic-news/brush-fire-in-jefferson-county-closes-lanes-causes-traffic-delays-on-c-470">Pre-evacuation notices lifted for North Ranch area following North Hogback Fire near C-470</a>,” 7NEWS Denver, October 14, 2015.</p> <p>Denver Mountain Parks, “<a href="https://www.mountainparkshistory.org/">Genesee Park</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Jack Healy, “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/04/us/after-uproar-colorado-school-board-retreats-on-curriculum-review-plan.html">After uproar, school board in Colorado scraps anti-protest curriculum</a>,” <em>The New York Times</em>, October 3, 2014.</p> <p>Historic Jeffco, “<a href="https://www.jeffco.us/county-archives">Chronological History of Jeffco—the 1850s</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Historic Jeffco, “<a href="https://www.jeffco.us/county-archives">Chronological History of Jeffco—the 1870s</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Historic Jeffco, “<a href="https://www.jeffco.us/county-archives">Chronological History of Jeffco—the 1880s</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Historic Jeffco, “<a href="https://historicjeffco.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/hj2011timeline.pdf">Jefferson County: A Chronology of Events</a>,” 2011.</p> <p>Historic Jeffco, “Hall of Fame: Chief Colorow,”</p> <p>Jefferson County, “<a href="https://www.jeffco.us/county-archives">Berthoud, Edward L.</a>,” updated April 22, 2013.</p> <p>“Jefferson County,” <em>Colorado County Histories Notebook </em>(Denver: History Colorado, 1989–2000).</p> <p>Jefferson County, “<a href="https://www.jeffco.us/open-space">History of Jefferson County Open Space</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Jefferson County, “<a href="https://www.jeffco.us/open-space">Jeffco Open Space Parks and Trails</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation, “<a href="https://www.jeffco.org/pdfs/2015Profile.pdf">Jefferson County, Colorado Economic Profile 2015</a>.”Jack Linshi, “<a href="https://time.com/3984936/red-rocks-park-named-national-historic-landmark/">Red Rocks Park named national historic landmark</a>,” <em>Time</em>, August 4, 2015.</p> <p>Carole Lomond, ed., <em>Jefferson County, Colorado: A Unique &amp; Eventful History!</em> (Golden, CO: Views Publishing, 2009).</p> <p>Jesse Paul, “<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2014/09/24/hundreds-of-jeffco-students-walk-out-in-largest-school-board-protest/">Hundreds of Jeffco students walk out in largest school board protest</a>,” <em>The Denver Post</em>, September 24, 2014.</p> <p>Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, “<a href="https://www.redrocksonline.com/about/history-geology">History and Geology</a>,” n.d.US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2012/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/">2012 Census of Agriculture County Profile: Jefferson County Colorado</a>,” National Agricultural Statistics Service.</p> <p>Virginia McConnell Simmons, <em>The Ute Indians of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico</em> (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2000).</p> <p>Elliott West, <em>Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers, and the Rush to Colorado </em>(Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1998).</p> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p>Eugene H. Berwanger,<em> The Rise of the Centennial State: Colorado Territory, 1861–76 </em>(Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2007).</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.cityofgolden.net/">Golden</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://historicjeffco.wordpress.com/">Historic Jeffco</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://emahs.org/">Jefferson County Historical Society</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p>Jefferson County, “<a href="https://www.jeffco.us/county-archives">Reference Books—Jefferson County</a>,” updated 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Charles and Mary Ramstetter, eds., <em>John Gregory Country: Place Names and History of Ralston Buttes Quadrangle, Jefferson County, Colorado </em>(Golden, CO: C Lazy Three Press, 1999).</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.redrocksonline.com/about/history-geology">Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="http://www.fws.gov/refuge/rocky_flats/">Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p>Beth Simmons, <em>Colorow! A Colorado Photographic Chronicle </em>(N.p., 2015).</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Fri, 31 Mar 2017 22:35:04 +0000 yongli 2449 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Douglas County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/douglas-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Douglas County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2369--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2369.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/douglas-county-courthouse-1880"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Douglas-County-Media-2_0_0.jpg?itok=OZwVA01T" width="1000" height="770" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/douglas-county-courthouse-1880" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Douglas County Courthouse, 1880</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The Douglas County Courthouse was completed in 1890. It burned in 1978 as a result of arson.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2368--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2368.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/douglas-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Douglas-County-Media-1_0.jpg?itok=hxEUXP5a" width="1000" height="724" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/douglas-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Douglas County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Douglas County, one of the original seventeen counties of Colorado, is located on the Palmer Divide, a ridge that separates tributaries to the South Platte and the Arkansas Rivers.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> <button class="carousel-control-prev" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="prev"> <span class="carousel-control-prev-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Previous</span> </button> <button class="carousel-control-next" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="next"> <span class="carousel-control-next-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Next</span> </button> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-02-21T16:36:30-07:00" title="Tuesday, February 21, 2017 - 16:36" class="datetime">Tue, 02/21/2017 - 16:36</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/douglas-county" data-a2a-title="Douglas County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Fdouglas-county&amp;title=Douglas%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Douglas County covers 843 square miles between <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/denver"><strong>Denver</strong></a> and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorado-springs"><strong>Colorado Springs</strong></a> on the western <a href="/article/colorado%E2%80%99s-great-plains"><strong>Great Plains</strong></a> along the <a href="/article/front-range"><strong>Front Range</strong></a>. The county was established in 1861 as one of the original seventeen counties of the <a href="/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a>. It is bordered to the north by <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/arapahoe-county"><strong>Arapahoe County</strong></a>, to the east by <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/elbert-county"><strong>Elbert County</strong></a>, to the south by <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/el-paso-county"><strong>El Paso</strong></a> and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/teller-county"><strong>Teller</strong></a> Counties, and to the west by <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/jefferson-county"><strong>Jefferson County</strong></a>. The county took its name from Stephen A. Douglas, a popular politician in the 1850s who argued for popular sovereignty and who ran against Abraham Lincoln in the 1858 senate race and in the 1860 presidential race.</p><p>With a population of 322,387, Douglas County is the seventh-most populous county in the state. The county seat is <strong>Castle Rock</strong>, a burgeoning <a href="https://medium.com/@solar-power-systems/solar-companies-in-california-fd66358a8661">community</a> just south of the Denver Metro area linked to the capital by <strong>Interstate 25</strong>. Other towns include the Denver suburbs of <strong>Highlands Ranch</strong>, <strong>Lone Tree</strong>, and <strong>Parker</strong>, and <strong>Larkspur</strong>, located south of Castle Rock on I-25.</p><p>Douglas County sits atop the western edge of the <strong>Palmer Divide</strong>. The broad ridge, which runs from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the town of Limon in the east, divides tributaries of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/south-platte-river"><strong>South Platte</strong></a><strong> </strong>and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/arkansas-river"><strong>Arkansas Rivers</strong></a> and ranges between 6,000 and 7,500 feet in elevation. Because of this, the county’s climate is generally wetter than those to the north and south. The county also includes part of the <strong>Pike National Forest</strong>, Roxborough State Park, <strong>Castlewood Canyon State Park</strong>, and the Chatfield State Recreation Area. The South Platte River forms the county’s northwestern border with Jefferson County, flowing out of the foothills into <strong>Chatfield Lake</strong>. Plum Creek, a tributary of the Platte, begins in the foothills southwest of Larkspur and runs through Castle Rock and the small community of <strong>Sedalia</strong> before it also empties into Chatfield Lake.</p><h2>Native Americans</h2><p>Douglas County’s archaeological record holds evidence of human occupation from about 13,000 years ago. Projectile points, millstones, and other early tools found at the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/lamb-spring-archaeological-site"><strong>Lamb Spring</strong></a> site and others indicate the presence of people from the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/clovis"><strong>Clovis</strong></a>, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/folsom-people"><strong>Folsom</strong></a>, and Plano periods. These early people were hunter-gatherers, following the seasonal migrations of large game, collecting dietary plants, and camping near the foothills along waterways during the winter. The earliest <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/paleo-indian-period"><strong>Paleo-Indians</strong></a> hunted large game, including mammoth and camels. Later groups hunted more familiar large game such as <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/rocky-mountain-elk"><strong>elk</strong></a>, <strong>bison</strong>, and <a href="/article/mule-deer"><strong>deer</strong></a>.</p><p>Modern Native American groups were also hunter-gatherers. <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/search/google/ute"><strong>Ute</strong></a> people occupied the mountains of western Douglas County by the sixteenth century, following the same seasonal migration routes as earlier indigenous groups. After tracking game into the high country during the summer and fall, Utes moved to the base of the mountains and set up winter camps in the areas of present-day Denver and Castle Rock. Utes lived in temporary or mobile dwellings such as <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/wickiups-and-other-wooden-features"><strong>wickiups</strong></a> and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/tipi-0"><strong>tipis</strong></a>.</p><p>By the early nineteenth century, the <strong>Cheyenne</strong> and <strong>Arapaho</strong> had migrated to the Douglas County area. These two groups moved southwest from the upper Midwest, where they had historically lived in more sedentary farming communities. During their westward migration the Cheyenne and Arapaho adopted a nomadic way of life centered around the horse, which they used to follow the great buffalo herds across the plains. While both groups primarily lived on the plains, their pursuit of buffalo and other game often led them into the mountains, where they fought with the Ute for access to hunting grounds. Like the Ute, the Cheyenne and Arapaho often wintered along water sources such as Plum Creek and the South Platte, using trees and plants in the area for shelter and fuel.</p><h2>Early American Era</h2><p>The United States acquired the area of Douglas County as part of the <strong>Louisiana Purchase</strong> in 1803, but the area was nonetheless controlled by Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho for the next several decades. <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/fur-trade-colorado"><strong>Fur</strong></a> trappers arrived during the 1820s to trap <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/beaver"><strong>beaver</strong></a>, and during the 1830s the area’s native groups harvested buffalo hides to trade at <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/bents-forts"><strong>Bent’s Fort</strong></a> farther south. In the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/treaty-fort-laramie"><strong>Treaty of Fort Laramie</strong></a> (1851), the Cheyenne and Arapaho agreed to allow safe westward passage of white travelers as long as they retained sovereignty over their land in Colorado.</p><p>However, events later in the decade refocused the US government’s attention on Colorado. In 1858 the <strong>William Green Russell Party</strong>, a group of prospectors from Georgia, followed the <strong>Cherokee Trail</strong>, a popular route west that ran through Douglas County, to prospect for gold in the Rockies. They reportedly found some flakes of gold in Russellville Gulch, east of modern Castle Rock, but the party soon moved on toward present-day Denver, where they found an even larger deposit. News of their findings in present Douglas County and Denver set off the <a href="/article/colorado-gold-rush"><strong>Colorado Gold Rush</strong></a> (1858–59)<strong>.</strong></p><p>The Cherokee Trail—also called the Trapper’s Trail—and the <strong>Smoky Hill Trail</strong> had been used by Cherokees and prospectors to participate in both the California and Colorado gold rushes in the mid-nineteenth century. As part of this trail, two stage stops in present Douglas County, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/seventeen-mile-house"><strong>Seventeen Mile House</strong></a> and <strong>Twenty Mile House</strong>, functioned as rest stops for travelers. Their names reflected the distance from Denver.</p><h2>County Development</h2><p>The <a href="/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a> was established in 1861, and Douglas County became one of the original seventeen counties. It was named for Stephen A. Douglas, a popular politician who debated Abraham Lincoln before the Civil War. The county originally stretched from the Rocky Mountains to the Kansas border. The first county seat was Franktown, a ranching and farming community along the Jimmy Camp Trail, another popular route for early miners and travelers. After Colorado became a state in 1876, the county shrunk to its current size following the creation of Elbert, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/lincoln-county"><strong>Lincoln</strong></a>, and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/kit-carson-county"><strong>Kit Carson</strong></a> Counties.</p><p>The <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/treaty-fort-wise"><strong>Treaty of Fort Wise</strong></a> in 1861 led to the removal of the Cheyenne and Arapaho to a reservation in eastern Colorado, and in 1864 the US government approved a treaty with the Ute Indians that granted the United States the entire Front Range. However, all three groups continued to visit Douglas County to hunt and trade with white immigrants, who arrived to take advantage of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/homestead"><strong>Homestead Act</strong></a> of 1862.</p><p>The relatively high rainfall of the Palmer Divide supports more trees and vegetation than surrounding areas, making the land around Plum Creek, the South Platte, and Cherry Creek ideal for the development of farming and cattle ranching. Sawmills converted felled trees into lumber for local ranches and farmhouses, as well as for buildings in developing Denver. Additionally, <strong>rhyolite</strong> quarries near present Castle Rock provided stone for buildings in Douglas County, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/auraria-west-denver"><strong>Auraria</strong></a>, and Denver.</p><p>Quarry workers and ranchers in the Plum Creek valley established the town of Castle Rock in the 1870s. <a href="/article/william-jackson-palmer"><strong>William Jackson Palmer</strong></a>’s <strong>Denver &amp; Rio Grande Railroad</strong> (D&amp;RG) reached Castle Rock in the early 1870s and built a train depot in the town, which then became the county seat in 1874. The railroad lowered the costs of shipping local timber, rhyolite, and cheese, and Castle Rock became an important stop along a Front Range rail corridor that eventually extended south to Colorado Springs and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/pueblo"><strong>Pueblo</strong></a>.</p><p>One of the earliest farmers in the area was Dad Rufus Clark, who set up a successful potato farm near present-day Highlands Ranch. Dairies, creameries, and cheese factories also developed in the county, including the Big Dry Creek Cheese Ranch, which was set up in the 1870s.</p><p>Drawn by financial interests in timber, mining, ranching, farming, and real estate, the eastern industrialist Samuel A. Long filed for a <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/homestead"><strong>homestead</strong></a> in Douglas County in 1884. Four years later he had acquired 2,000 additional acres, and in 1891 Long built a modest farmhouse on the property. In 1891 Long sold the house to rancher John Springer, who expanded it into the <strong>Highlands Ranch Mansion.</strong> Long went on to become one of Douglas County’s pioneers of dryland farming—farming with low-water crops such as winter wheat—in the late 1890s. Springer, meanwhile, kept buying ranch land in the surrounding area, eventually owning 12,000 acres on which he raised horses and cattle.</p><p>The Englishman Charles Allis also arrived during the 1880s and set up a ranch near Castle Rock. The Allis ranch eventually became known as Greenland and raised cattle, pigs, milk cows, and sheep on more than 1,700 acres. The ranch stayed in the family for generations, and its proprietors became leading citizens in Douglas County; Charles’s son Alfred not only helped usher the ranch through the Great Depression but also served on the Greenland School Board and as a firefighter with the Larkspur Fire Department. He also served as postmaster of Larkspur in the 1970s.</p><p>The Douglas County courthouse was completed in 1890 with stone from local rhyolite quarries. That same year, Denver officials commissioned the building of Castlewood Dam to ensure proper irrigation for local farms and ranches.</p><p>In the early 1880s a second rail line was completed through the county. The Denver &amp; New Orleans (D&amp;NO) connected Denver and Pueblo, with a stop in the area of present-day Parker. Parker began as a collection of homesteads around Twenty Mile House, and the railroad allowed the town to expand. By the turn of the century it included a saloon, mercantile, dry goods store, water tower and pump house, creamery, and school.</p><h2>Twentieth Century</h2><p>In 1906 a new industry came to Douglas County—DuPont’s dynamite factory. DuPont bought the site of present-day&nbsp;<a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/louviers"><span style="display:none;"><strong> </strong></span><strong>Louviers</strong></a> in 1906, where it built the town and the factory. Initially, workers lived in tents, but the company soon built homes for the workers, the first of which were completed in 1908. By 1917 the company had built a clubhouse as a community center for workers in the town. The company town flourished until the factory closed in the 1970s.</p><p>Pike National Forest, covering the western part of Douglas County, was also established in 1906. In 1912 the <a href="/article/us-forest-service-colorado"><strong>Forest Service</strong></a> built a fire lookout in the foothills called the<a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/devils-head-lookout"><strong> Devil’s Head Lookout</strong></a>, which is still used today.</p><p>Disaster hit the county in 1933 when <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/castlewood-dam"><strong>Castlewood Dam</strong></a> broke following several days of heavy rain. A torrent of water gushed down Cherry Creek toward Parker and Denver, killing two people and causing extensive property damage.</p><p>During the first half of the twentieth century, ranches and creameries continued operation, and Douglas County towns remained relatively small and rural. In 1940 about 67 percent of the land in Douglas County was covered by farms.</p><h2>From Ranches to Subdivisions</h2><p>The 1960s brought the first urban sprawl from the Denver area. The population of Colorado grew substantially after World War II. As Denver and its suburbs grew, so did the need for housing and transportation. Construction of Interstate 25 between Castle Rock and Denver was completed in 1963, giving Douglas County a connection to both Denver and Colorado Springs along the state’s newest and longest north-south highway.</p><p>Motorists had only been using the new highway for two years when the largest <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/south-platte-flood-1965"><strong>flood</strong></a> in Douglas County history occurred in June 1965. Following several days of rain, a tornado hit Palmer Lake. With the ground saturated, a flood began and surged along East Plum Creek into Castle Rock. In addition to inundating the city, the floodwaters washed out I-25 and all the bridges between Castle Rock and Denver. The torrent destroyed buildings in Louviers, and as the floodwaters reached Denver, the city closed roads and evacuated buildings.</p><p>Despite the setback from the flood, development continued in Douglas County over the next several decades. New neighborhoods were built in the Parker area in the 1960s, and in 1979 Mission Viejo bought the Highlands Ranch area. The developer finished building the modern residential community of Highlands Ranch in 1981. The city of Lone Tree was incorporated in 1996, with a population of around 3,000. Since then the city has quadrupled in size, going from a small bedroom community of Denver to a thriving suburb. In 1997 farms occupied just 38 percent of Douglas County land.</p><p>As new towns and developments increased the county’s population, residents needed more local shopping options. In 1992 the Factory Shops, a sprawling outlet mall complex, opened in Castle Rock, and 1996 brought the opening of Park Meadows Shopping Mall in Lone Tree. The small bedroom community incorporated the same year. These developments encouraged residents to shop locally instead of traveling outside the county for purchases. It also brought needed tax revenue to the county.</p><h2>Today</h2><p>Currently, the largest employer in Douglas County is the retail industry, followed by government jobs. The population continues to rise, from about 175,000 in 2000 to about 319,000 in 2015. As new developments change the face of the county, residents work to balance urban and suburban growth while preserving the area’s cultural and natural heritage.</p><p>Organizations such as Historic Douglas County, Douglas County History Research Center, the Castle Rock Historical Society, the Parker Area Historical Society, and the Highlands Ranch Historical Society work to preserve significant historic buildings. In 1996, for instance, the Castle Rock Historical Society refurbished the town’s train depot and converted it into the <strong>Castle Rock Museum</strong>. Additionally, the town’s Historic Preservation Board circulates walking tour guides that take visitors past twenty-one historic sites and buildings. Douglas County also helped secure funds to restore Seventeen Mile House in 2001, and the Parker Historical Society lists an additional twenty-seven historic properties that it has helped preserve.</p><p>Douglas County also works to preserve its environment through the Pike National Forest and several state recreation sites. These sites ensure that its natural resources, such as timber and water sources—which allowed the county to be settled in the nineteenth century—can be enjoyed by generations to come.</p></div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/douglas-county" hreflang="en">Douglas County</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/colorado-gold-rush" hreflang="en">Colorado Gold Rush</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/ranching" hreflang="en">ranching</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/castle-rock" hreflang="en">Castle Rock</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/highlands-ranch" hreflang="en">Highlands Ranch</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/parker" hreflang="en">Parker</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce, “<a href="https://visitcastlerock.org/about-castle-rock/history/">About Castle Rock</a>,” 2016.</p><p>City of Lone Tree, “<a href="https://cityoflonetree.com/">About Lone Tree</a>,” n.d.</p><p>Colorado Department of Transportation, “<a href="https://www.codot.gov/about/CDOTHistory/50th-anniversary/interstate-25">Interstate 25 History</a>,” n.d.</p><p>Douglas County, “<a href="https://www.douglas.co.us/museum/vex16/index.htm">Douglas County, Colorado Historic Preservation,”</a> 2014.</p><p>Douglas County Museum, “<a href="https://www.douglas.co.us/museum/vex13/index.htm">Allis Ranch: Greenland, Colorado: A Pioneer Ranch on the Palmer Divide</a>,” n.d.</p><p>Douglas County Planning Commission, “<a href="https://www.douglas.co.us/documents/full-cmp.pdf/">Douglas County 2035 Comprehensive Master Plan</a>,” Douglas County, 2014.</p><p>Douglas County Community Planning and Sustainable Development Department, “<a href="https://www.douglas.co.us/documents/douglas-county-profile-for-the-at-risk-population.pdf/">Douglas County Profile</a>,” Douglas County, 2011.</p><p>Douglas County History Research Center, “<a href="https://douglascountyhistory.org/digital/collection/documents/id/0">Douglas County History Research Center</a>,” Douglas County Libraries, 2015.</p><p>Fleta Nockels, “<a href="https://douglascounty-co.aauw.net/about/history/">Douglas County Branch History</a>,” AAUW Douglas County Branch, n.d.</p><p>Highlands Ranch Metro District, “<a href="http://highlandsranch.org/community/history/">Highlands Ranch History</a>,” n.d.</p><p>Highlands Ranch Mansion, “<a href="http://highlandsranchmansion.com/history-2/mansion-families/john-springer/">John Springer</a>,” 2016.</p><p>Highlands Ranch Mansion, “<a href="http://highlandsranchmansion.com/history-2/mansion-families/samuel-allen-long/">Samuel Allen Long</a>,” 2016.</p><p>Historic Douglas County, “<a href="https://historicdouglascounty.org/about">About Douglas County</a>,” n.d.</p><p>Colleen O’Connor, “<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2014/08/16/after-20-years-lone-tree-is-setting-the-bar-with-incredible-potential/">After 20 years, Lone Tree is setting the bar with incredible potential</a>,” <em>The Denver Post</em>, August 16, 2014.</p><p>Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, “<a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/oahp/douglas-county">Douglas County</a>,” History Colorado, n.d.</p><p>Parker Area Historical Society, “<a href="https://www.parkerhistory.org/">A Brief History of Parker, Colorado</a>,” Parker Area Historical Society, 2016.</p><p>Parker Area Historical Society, “<a href="https://www.parkerhistory.org/local-sites">Local Parker Historical Sites</a>,” 2016.</p><p>Larry T. Smith, “<a href="https://www.parkerhistory.org/17-mile-house">17 Mile House and Barn</a>,” Parker Area Historical Society, 2009.</p><p>The Weather and Climate Impact Assessment Science Program, “<a href="http://www.assessment.ucar.edu/flood/flood_summaries/06_14_1965.html">South Platte &amp; Arkansas Basins: June 14-20, 1965</a>,” University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, 2007.</p><p>Town of Castle Rock Historic Preservation Board, “<a href="https://www.crgov.com/DocumentCenter/View/337">Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Castle Rock, Colorado</a>,” 2015.</p><p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="https://usda.library.cornell.edu/">Colorado</a>,” US Census of Agriculture, Vol. 1, Part 41 (1940).</p><p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="https://usda.library.cornell.edu/">Colorado</a>,” US Census of Agriculture, Vol. 1, Part 6 (1997).</p><p>US Forest Service, “<a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/psicc/about-forest/about-area">Pike National Forest</a>,” United States Forest Service, 2016.</p></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p><a href="https://visitcastlerock.org/">Castle Rock (official website)</a></p><p><a href="https://visitcastlerock.org/">Castle Rock (tourism website)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.castlerockmuseum.org/">Castle Rock Museum</a></p><p><a href="https://www.douglas.co.us/">Douglas County</a></p><p><a href="https://douglascountyhistory.org/digital/collection/documents/id/0">Douglas County History Research Center</a></p></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Tue, 21 Feb 2017 23:36:30 +0000 yongli 2370 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Routt County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/routt-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Routt County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2303--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2303.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/routt-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Routt_County_0.png?itok=f18dfdkj" width="1024" height="741" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/routt-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Routt County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Routt County was established in 1877 and named after John L. Routt, the first governor of the state of Colorado.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--3019--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--3019.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/steamboat-ski-resort-0"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Steamboat_20190119_0002_1.jpg?itok=EZwIWlsR" width="1090" height="818" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/steamboat-ski-resort-0" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Steamboat Ski Resort</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Steamboat Resort is a major ski area in northwestern Colorado, It is located on Mount Werner, a mountain in the Park Range in the Routt National Forest. The ski area first opened on January 12, 1963.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--3020--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--3020.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/routt-national-forest"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Steamboat_20180916_0003_0.jpg?itok=1qu__PJN" width="1090" height="728" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/routt-national-forest" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Routt National Forest</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests extend from north central Colorado to central Wyoming. The Forests encompass portions of many mountain ranges including the Gore Range, Flat Tops, Parks Range, Medicine Bow Mountains, Sierra Madre, and Laramie Range. The Forests provide year-round recreation opportunities for thousands of people. They also provide wildlife habitat, timber, forage for livestock, and are a vital source of water for irrigation, domestic use, and industry.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.stateparks.com/routt_national_forest_in_colorado.html">ROUTT NATIONAL FOREST</a></p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--3038--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--3038.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/buffalo-pass"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Steamboat_20180916_0001_0.jpg?itok=0iouP0XA" width="1090" height="728" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/buffalo-pass" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Buffalo Pass </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This approximately 15-mile stretch of scenic dirt road crosses the diverse habitats within the Park Range of the Rocky Mountains. It rises from sagebrush and gamble oak habitat to lodgepole pine, quaking aspen, and spruce-fir dominated forests. The elevation ranges from 6,700 feet in Steamboat Springs to 10,400 feet at Summit Lake Camp Ground. This road offers spectacular views of the Yampa and North Park valleys below, multiple alpine lakes within walking distance, access to the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, multiple disperse camping sites and Summit Lake Campground with restroom facilities. Additionally, there are numerous hiking, horseback and motorized vehicle trails to suite a range of outdoor activity needs.</p> <p><a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/Rocky_Mountain/BuffaloPass/index.shtml">Source: USDA Forest Service - Rocky Mountain Region Viewing Area Buffalo Pass</a></p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> <button class="carousel-control-prev" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="prev"> <span class="carousel-control-prev-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Previous</span> </button> <button class="carousel-control-next" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="next"> <span class="carousel-control-next-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Next</span> </button> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-02-02T16:26:44-07:00" title="Thursday, February 2, 2017 - 16:26" class="datetime">Thu, 02/02/2017 - 16:26</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/routt-county" data-a2a-title="Routt County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Froutt-county&amp;title=Routt%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Routt County is a large county in northwest Colorado, encompassing 2,368 square miles of the Elk and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/yampa-river"><strong>Yampa River</strong></a> valleys and the Park Range and Elkhead Mountains. It is bordered by the state of Wyoming to the north, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/jackson-county"><strong>Jackson</strong></a> and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/grand-county"><strong>Grand</strong></a> Counties to the east, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/eagle-county"><strong>Eagle County</strong></a> to the south, and <a href="/article/rio-blanco-county"><strong>Rio Blanco</strong></a> and <a href="/article/garfield-county"><strong>Garfield</strong></a> Counties to the southwest.</p> <p><a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/image/steamboat-ski-resort"><img alt="Steamboat Ski Resort" src="/sites/default/files/Steamboat_20190119_0001.jpg" style="width: 480px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; height: 360px; float: left; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;"></a>Routt County has a population of 24,130. <strong>Steamboat Springs</strong>, the county seat and largest city, lies in the Yampa valley along US Hwy 40 and is one of the state’s most popular ski destinations. Farther upstream, Colorado State Highway 131 connects the communities of <strong>Oak Creek</strong> and <strong>Yampa</strong>. Downstream from Steamboat Springs, the Yampa flows through pasture- and farmland and the communities of <strong>Milner</strong> and <strong>Hayden</strong>. Yampa Valley Regional Airport, near Hayden, provides seasonal air service to various parts of the country and year-round service to and from <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/denver"><strong>Denver</strong></a>.</p> <p>Historically, the Routt County area was home to nomadic Ute Indians before the mid-nineteenth century, when gold discoveries near <strong>Hahn’s Peak</strong>, above the Elk River valley, attracted white prospectors. Ranchers and farmers followed the miners, taking advantage of the area’s fertile river valleys. Routt County was established in 1877 and named for then governor <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/content/john-l-routt"><strong>John L. Routt</strong></a>, the first governor of the State of Colorado. The county assumed its current size after the creation of Moffat County in 1911.</p> <h2>Native Americans</h2> <p>The mountains and river valleys of present-day Routt County have a long history of human occupation, dating back to the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/paleo-indian-period"><strong>Paleo-Indian period</strong></a> of nearly 11,000 years ago. Back then, indigenous hunter-gatherers quarried stone for tools at Windy Ridge, which overlooks the divide between <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/walden-north-park"><strong>North</strong></a> and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/grand-county"><strong>Middle</strong> <strong>Park</strong></a> in what is now southeast Routt County.</p> <p>During the warmer months, the Yampa and Elk valleys drew large amounts of game, including <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/rocky-mountain-elk"><strong>elk</strong></a>, <a href="/article/mule-deer"><strong>mule deer</strong></a>, and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/bison"><strong>bison</strong></a>. These animals provided the core sustenance for indigenous peoples from the Paleo-Indians of thousands of years ago through the Yampa Utes, who began living in the area by the fifteenth century AD. The Yampas (also known as Yamparikas or Yampaticas) derived their name from the Yampa plant, which has an edible root not unlike a water chestnut. The plant was a staple part of the Utes’ nonmeat diet.</p> <p>Like earlier native peoples, the Utes were hunter-gatherers who followed a seasonal circuit between the high and low country. They spent summers hunting game in the mountains and returned to lower elevations and the shelter of river valleys for the winter. The Utes were also well acquainted with the mineral-rich hot springs near present-day Steamboat Springs, which they visited often to revive both body and spirit. Utes lived in temporary or mobile wooden dwellings, such as <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/wickiups-and-other-wooden-features"><strong>wickiups</strong></a> and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/tipi-0"><strong>tipis</strong></a>. The Yampa Utes traveled widely during the year, ranging west into Utah, north into Wyoming, and east to North Park.</p> <h2>Early American Era</h2> <p>The United States acquired the Routt County area as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, though it remained officially unexplored until <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/beaver"><strong>beaver</strong></a> trappers arrived in the 1820s. One of these early trappers allegedly provided the inspiration for the name of Steamboat Springs, likening the sound of the springs’ water to that of a chugging steamboat. In 1843 and 1845, American explorer <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/keyword/john-c-fremont-0"><strong>John C. Frémont</strong></a>, guided by trapper-turned-scout <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/kit-carson"><strong>Kit Carson</strong></a>, traversed the Routt County area to survey a possible railroad route. No route was found, however, and demand for beaver pelts fell off by the 1840s. Irish hunter <strong>George Gore</strong> followed a Ute trail over what is now Gore Pass in 1855, but white interest in the Yampa valley and the rest of present Routt County largely subsided until the <a href="/article/colorado-gold-rush"><strong>Colorado Gold Rush</strong></a> of 1858–59.</p> <p>In 1862, a year after Congress created the <a href="/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a>, German immigrant Joseph Hahn and two other prospectors headed west from Georgetown in search of the next big gold strike. They made their way over Gore Pass into the Yampa valley and continued up the Elk River, where they found gold in a stream at the base of Hahn’s Peak. The onset of winter forced the group to head back east. Hahn returned to the area with another party in 1865, panned for gold, and again left before winter.</p> <p>In summer 1866, Hahn brought a third group to the site. Despite an attack by Utes, who killed some pack animals and made off with some of their possessions, the men panned out a decent amount of gold. This time, Hahn and two of his companions—William Doyle and George Way—decided to stay for the winter. In October Way left to get supplies but never returned. After making it through the winter with almost no provisions, Hahn and Doyle began a desperate snowshoe trek toward <strong>Empire</strong>. The starving men made it as far as Middle Park, where Hahn died and local residents rescued Doyle.</p> <p>About a year after Hahn met his fate, the federal government brokered the <a href="/article/ute-treaty-1868"><strong>Treaty of 1868</strong></a>, which transferred all Ute lands east of the Continental Divide, as well as the Yampa River valley, to the United States. In return, the Utes were given a large reservation on Colorado’s Western Slope and promised annual payments and supplies, which they would receive at various <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/indian-agencies-and-agents"><strong>agencies</strong></a> built throughout the reservation. Having lost the valley that bears their name, the Yampa Utes were to report to the <a href="/article/white-river-ute-indian-agency"><strong>White River Agency</strong></a> near present-day <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/meeker"><strong>Meeker</strong></a>.</p> <p>As the Yampa Utes struggled to adjust to life on the new reservation, American geologist <strong>Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden</strong> led a surveying expedition through present-day Routt County in 1873. Hayden’s expedition identified major coal deposits in the Yampa valley, but those deposits would not receive much attention until it was certain the region did not have a future cast in gold.</p> <p>In 1874 several companies expanded on Hahn’s modest mining operations near Hahn’s Peak. In 1875 Chicagoan J. V. Farwell made a considerable investment in the area, building a toll road from Laramie, Wyoming, and setting up a sawmill and a store. The mining settlement took the name <strong>Hahn’s Peak Village</strong>. Since the area was originally included in several different counties, it is difficult to determine exactly how much gold the Hahn’s Peak district produced,&nbsp;but it was apparently enough to stimulate further development in the area.</p> <h2>County Development</h2> <p>While miners pulled gold out of the Hahn’s Peak district, several settlements were developing in the Yampa River valley. <strong>James H. Crawford</strong>, a prospective <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/homestead"><strong>homesteader</strong></a> from Missouri, arrived in the summer of 1874 and was immediately smitten by the valley’s beauty. Crawford built a cabin where the Yampa begins its westward bend, near natural springs that gushed into verdant meadows. Like the prospectors before him, Crawford had to leave the remote valley before the winter snows hit, but he returned the following summer with his family.</p> <p>Over the next few years, the Crawfords lived in friendship with the Yampa Utes, who often camped near the springs and traded with the family. The Crawfords’ cabin became the hub for a small community of white settlers, serving as the area’s first post office, school, and church. In 1884 James Crawford organized the Steamboat Springs Town Company, which platted the town and built the first bathhouse around the springs.</p> <p>In 1873 veteran explorer Colonel&nbsp;Porter Smart located the site of present-day Hayden,&nbsp;naming it&nbsp;for the surveyor&nbsp;who had passed through the area&nbsp;in 1871. One of the first to arrive in Hayden in 1874 was Porter's son Albert and his family, along with his brother Gordon and a number of others, such as&nbsp;Thomas Isles, who were part of&nbsp; the Bear River Colony. Albert Smart established the Hayden post office in 1875 at his homestead near the Yampa River. In 1876 JB Thompson, a former <strong><a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/indian-agencies-and-agents">Indian agent</a>,</strong>&nbsp;brought his family to the valley and established a trading post near the Smarts.</p> <p>When Routt County was established in 1877, Hayden was appointed the county seat because it was in the center&nbsp;of the new county, whose boundaries&nbsp;extended westward to the Colorado-Utah border. J.B.&nbsp;Thompson served as the County Clerk until a countywide election could be held. The town of Hahn's Peak was chosen in the next election. Hahns&nbsp;Peak proved too remote, however, so in 1912&nbsp;residents voted to move the county seat to Steamboat Springs.</p> <p>Rancher Preston King&nbsp;settled with several other people near present-day Toponas in 1878. But the county’s main influx of white immigrants began after the Utes were forcibly&nbsp;removed to Utah in 1880. That year, cattleman A. W. Salisbury began a workhorse ranch in the Hahn’s Peak area in partnership with boardinghouse operator Bob McIntosh. With the help of one of his five brothers, Charlie Temple drove 1,500 cattle into the Yampa valley in 1884 and acquired a ranch near Hayden. In 1886 the Laughlin family homesteaded near present-day Yampa and Charley Honnald established what is now the Focus Ranch, along the Snake River near the Wyoming border.</p> <p>The arrival of these early ranchers demonstrated to the rest of Colorado what the Utes had known for generations: the meadows watered by the Yampa and its tributaries were ideal for supporting large herds of grazing animals—except now those animals were domesticated cows instead of wild bison. By 1890&nbsp;the US Census of Agriculture reported that “cattle raising is the principal industry” of Routt County and “the greater part of the water” from irrigation ditches was “used for hay and meadow lands.”</p> <h2>Coal Mining</h2> <p>In 1910 Routt County had more than 94,000 head of cattle, but ranching was not the only lucrative industry in the area. In 1908 the <strong>Union Pacific</strong> Railroad reached Steamboat Springs via the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/denver-northwestern-pacific-railway-hill-route-moffat-road"><strong>Moffat Road</strong></a>, finally allowing coal, cattle, and farm products to be shipped throughout the state and the nation. With rail access, the economic and population center of the county shifted decisively from the Elk valley to the Yampa valley, and Steamboat Springs was named the new county seat in 1912. The railroad also brought a new wave of settlers, and the Routt County population increased from 3,661 in 1900 to 7,561 in 1910.</p> <p>Coal mining in particular required an efficient means of transport before it could be a major industry in the county. In 1892&nbsp;a US Geological Survey study confirmed &nbsp;large bituminous coal deposits near Oak Creek,&nbsp;<span class="m_8141334106253517332gmail-m_8596187790300088334gmail-scayt-misspell-word" style="background: url(&quot;https://ci4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/ehaIrPUwCBBpeqho4HohlN7ZiM3xsGXYnJAfv33_WGJqe3SNky7GcaM=s0-d-e1-ft#http://waveline.gif&quot;) 52% 100% repeat-x transparent; padding-bottom: 0px; display: inline;">Twentymile</span>&nbsp;Park, and most of western Routt county, along with anthracite coal deposits in the California Park area.&nbsp;Before the arrival of the railroad, several dozen small coal mines operated in Routt County, providing fuel for local ranchers and farmers. But once&nbsp;companies knew a railroad was on its way, they began buying up these smaller mines in preparation for larger operations.</p> <p>Following the county’s shift toward corporate coal, Sam Bell, John Sharpe, and D. C. Williams—all businessmen from <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/cripple-creek"><strong>Cripple Creek</strong></a>—organized the Oak Creek Town, Land and Mining Company in 1907. They platted Bell Town, later renamed Oak Creek, and by 1915&nbsp;the town was home to more than 2,000 people, mostly coal miners and their families. Other coal mines and mining towns could be found in the towns between Milner and Hayden, along what is now US 40 - MacGregor, Coal View, Bear River, and Mt. Harris.</p> <p>Like other coal miners in Colorado, Routt County miners labored in dark, hazardous environments for ten to twelve hours per day, receiving only meager wages in return. Fully aware that their labor kept Colorado’s economy going, many joined unions such as the <strong><a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/united-mine-workers-america">United Mine Workers of America</a> </strong>(UMWA) to lobby for better pay and working conditions. In 1913 more than 400 Routt County coal miners joined a statewide strike that ended only after martial law was declared. Coal mining continued throughout the twentieth century; by the 1960s, most coal came not from mine shafts but from strip mines, created by heavy machinery moving tons of earth to expose coal deposits.</p> <h2>Skiing and Tourism</h2> <p>Rails shipped coal out of the county, but they also brought in tourists, another valuable part of the local economy. Despite snow sheds and snowplows, early passenger travel along the Moffat Road was fraught with danger, as the railroad’s route over the Continental Divide often sent locomotives through snowdrifts taller than the trains themselves. Nevertheless, by 1909&nbsp;tourists began traveling to Steamboat Springs to enjoy the bathhouse and mountain scenery. The railroad also proved important to the development of Steamboat’s ski industry.</p> <p>In 1914 Norwegian <strong>Carl Howelsen</strong> organized the first Winter Carnival, which hosted Steamboat’s first competitive ski events. Before then, skiing had simply been a necessity in snowy Routt County. But after Howelsen built a ski jump on a steep hill southwest of town in 1915, the carnival and recreational skiing in Steamboat became a tourist dynamo.</p> <p><a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/howelsen-hill"><strong>Howelsen Hill</strong></a>, as the ski area came to be known, underwent many improvements throughout the twentieth century, including the addition of a 150-seat grandstand, a skating rink, and a ski lift powered by a Ford Model T engine. After a $1.1 million renovation, Howelsen Hill hosted the North American Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Championships in 1978. Today the Steamboat Resort welcomes more than 1 million skiers annually.</p> <p>Routt County tourism received another boost in the early twentieth century after President Theodore Roosevelt established the Park Range Forest Reserve (now the Routt National Forest) in 1905. Although the designation may have earned the ire of local ranchers who were subject to grazing regulations, the forest now draws large crowds of campers, hikers, cross-country skiers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. Additionally, <strong>Steamboat Lake State Park</strong>, formed around a picturesque reservoir in the shadow of Hahn’s Peak in 1967, remains a popular destination for boaters and anglers.</p> <h2>Today</h2> <p>Today the Routt County economy is mainly driven by the accommodation, construction, and retail sectors, key parts of the county’s tourism industry. Steamboat Ski &amp; Resort Corporation employs 210 people, for instance, while Wyndham Vacation Rentals employs another 160. The county’s largest employer, the Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs, employs 582 people. Another 196 jobs are provided by Peabody Energy, which operates the Twentymile Coal Mine, a strip mine in southern Routt County. The mine provides fuel for coal-fired power plants that provide nearly 65 percent of the power to Routt and Moffat Counties.</p> <p>Routt County also continues its strong ranching tradition. Its flock of more than 8,800 sheep ranks eighth out of Colorado’s sixty-four counties, and its 37,200 cattle and calves are the eighteenth-largest herd in the state. The county raises 3,131 horses and ponies. Beekeeping is also a significant, if less-heralded, agricultural pursuit; the county has more than 1,400 bee colonies, the ninth-most among forty-eight bee-raising counties.</p> <p>While towns such as Hayden remain agriculturally oriented, Steamboat Springs is the county’s cultural and educational hub. In 1972 the town’s historic train <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/steamboat-springs-depot"><strong>depot</strong></a> became the home of the Steamboat Springs Arts Council, which hosts the only professional orchestra in northwest Colorado as well as the annual All Arts Festival and a number of art workshops throughout the year. The city is also home to the <strong>Tread of Pioneers Museum </strong>and the <strong>Northwest Colorado Cultural Heritage Program</strong>, both of which act to preserve and promote the history of Routt County and northwest Colorado.</p> <p>Steamboat Springs also hosts a branch campus of <strong>Colorado Mountain College</strong> and the nonprofit Yampatika, an environmental education organization formed in 1992. The group, which hosts youth camps, trains teachers in concepts related to environmental sustainability, and runs the Environmental Learning Center at the city-owned Legacy Ranch, is dedicated to protecting the natural environment that makes Routt County such an attractive place to live and visit.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/routt-county-history" hreflang="en">routt county history</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/steamboat-springs" hreflang="en">Steamboat Springs</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/howelsen-hill" hreflang="en">howelsen hill</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/hahns-peak" hreflang="en">hahns peak</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/yampa-river" hreflang="en">Yampa River</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/yampa" hreflang="en">yampa</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/clark" hreflang="en">clark</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/milner" hreflang="en">milner</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/hayden" hreflang="en">hayden</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/joseph-hahn" hreflang="en">joseph hahn</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/james-h-crawford" hreflang="en">james h crawford</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/coal-mining" hreflang="en">coal mining</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Jan Michael Kaminski, “<a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/files/OAHP/Programs/SHF_Survey_Hayden2009.pdf">Town of Hayden</a>,” Historic Resources Survey I, Project #2006-M2-013 (Steamboat Springs, CO: Mountain Architecture Design Group, 2009).</p> <p>Charles H. Leckenby, “<a href="http://www.crawfordpioneersofsteamboatsprings.com/pdfs/FoundingOfSSandHahnsPeak.html">The Founding of Steamboat Springs and of Hahns Peak</a>,” <em>The Colorado Magazine</em>, May 1929.</p> <p>Steven F. Mehls and Carol Drake Mehls, <a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/files/OAHP/crforms_edumat/pdfs/620.pdf"><em>Routt and Moffat Counties, Colorado, Coal Mining Historic Context</em></a> (Denver: History Colorado, Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, 1991).</p> <p>Northwest Colorado Cultural Heritage, “<a href="http://nwcoloradoheritagetravel.org/hahns-peak-colorado/">Hahn’s Peak, Colorado</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Peabody Energy, “<a href="https://www.peabodyenergy.com/content/279/media-center/fact-sheets/twentymile-mine">Twentymile Mine</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Tom Ross, “<a href="https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2003/oct/18/history_in_our/">History in Our Back Yard</a>: Windy Ridge Quartzite Quarry Was Vital to Early American Indians,” <em>Steamboat Today</em>, October 18, 2003.</p> <p>Tom Ross, “<a href="https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2009/jan/16/altered_course/">Railroad Came to Steamboat 100 Years Ago</a>,” <em>Steamboat Today</em>, January 16, 2009.</p> <p>Routt County, “<a href="http://www.co.routt.co.us/DocumentCenter/View/619">Rock Creek Stage Stop</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Laureen Lafferty Schaeffer and Jim Crawford, “<a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/files/OAHP/NRSR/5RT473.pdf">Crawford House</a>,” National Park Service Form 10-900b (Denver: History Colorado, 2005).</p> <p>Virginia McConnell Simmons, <em>The Ute Indians of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico </em>(Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2000).</p> <p>Steamboat Springs Arts Council, “<a href="https://steamboatarts.org/about/">About Us</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Matt Stensland, “<a href="https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/king-coal-the-underground-economic-engine-that-is-routt-countys-twentymile-coal-co/">King Coal: The Underground Economic Engine That is Routt County’s Twentymile Coal Co.</a>,” <em>Steamboat Today</em>, January 20, 2013.</p> <p>Tread of Pioneers Museum, “<a href="https://www.treadofpioneers.org/page.php?id=44">Routt County Ranch Histories</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="http://agcensus.mannlib.cornell.edu/AgCensus/censusParts.do?year=1890">Colorado, Contd.</a>,” US Census of Agriculture (1890).</p> <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2012/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/">2012 Census of Agriculture County Profile: Routt County Colorado</a>,” National Agricultural Statistics Service.</p> <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="http://agcensus.mannlib.cornell.edu/AgCensus/getVolumeTwoPart.do?volnum=6&amp;year=1910&amp;part_id=1094&amp;number=1&amp;title=Reports%20by%20States:%20Alabama%20-%20Montana">Reports by States: Alabama—Montana</a>,” US Census of Agriculture, vol. 6, part 1 (1910).</p> <p>Yampa Valley Data Partners, “<a href="https://yampavalleypartners.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/YVDP_RealtorsSBS_EconomicOverview_Q1_2015_FINAL.pdf">Economic Overview: Routt County, Q1 2015</a>,” 2015.</p> <p>Yampatika, “<a href="https://yampatika.org/about/">About Yampatika</a>,” n.d.</p> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p><a href="https://coloradomtn.edu/campuses/steamboat-springs/">Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="http://www.crawfordpioneersofsteamboatsprings.com/">Crawford Pioneers of Steamboat Springs, Colorado</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p>Peter R. Decker, <em>“The Utes Must Go!” American Expansion and the Removal of a People</em> (Golden, CO: Fulcrum, 2004).</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://hahnspeakhistoric.com/">Hahns Peak Area Historical Society</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.colorado.com/cities-and-towns/hayden">Hayden (Colorado Tourism)</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.haydenheritagecenter.org/">Hayden Heritage Center</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="http://nwcoloradoheritagetravel.org/">Northwest Colorado Cultural Heritage</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="http://www.co.routt.co.us/">Routt County</a>, Colorado</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/oahp/routt-county">Routt County</a> (History Colorado)</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/SteamboatLake">Steamboat Lake State Park</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="http://steamboatsprings.net/">Steamboat Springs</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.steamboatcreates.org/">Steamboat Springs Arts Council</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.steamboat.com/">Steamboat Resort</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.treadofpioneers.org/index.php">Tread of Pioneers Museum</a></p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Thu, 02 Feb 2017 23:26:44 +0000 yongli 2304 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Huerfano County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/huerfano-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Huerfano County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2672--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2672.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/spanish-peaks"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Huerfano_County_20170525_02_0_0.jpg?itok=JXajNw4k" width="1090" height="634" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/spanish-peaks" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Spanish Peaks</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Located on the eastern slope of the Spanish Peaks and Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Huerfano County receives little precipitation and is covered by dry grasslands.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2252--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2252.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/huerfano-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Huerfano_County_0.png?itok=3dfeKGws" width="1024" height="741" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/huerfano-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Huerfano County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Huerfano County is a crossroads of southern Colorado known for coal production in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> <button class="carousel-control-prev" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="prev"> <span class="carousel-control-prev-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Previous</span> </button> <button class="carousel-control-next" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="next"> <span class="carousel-control-next-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Next</span> </button> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-01-31T12:36:01-07:00" title="Tuesday, January 31, 2017 - 12:36" class="datetime">Tue, 01/31/2017 - 12:36</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/huerfano-county" data-a2a-title="Huerfano County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Fhuerfano-county&amp;title=Huerfano%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Huerfano County, named for the Spanish word for “orphan,” covers 1,750 square miles in south central Colorado, east of the <strong>Sangre de Cristo Mountains</strong> and south of the <strong>Wet Mountain Valley</strong>. The southern part of Huerfano County is part of the Raton Basin, a geological formation that has produced large amounts of <a href="/article/coal-mining-colorado"><strong>coal</strong></a>. Originally, Huerfano County stretched from the Kansas border to the Sangre de Cristos, but over time portions of the county were carved off to form several other counties. The county is now bordered by <a href="/article/pueblo-county"><strong>Pueblo County</strong></a> to the northeast, <a href="/article/las-animas-county"><strong>Las Animas County</strong></a> to the southeast, <a href="/article/costilla-county"><strong>Costilla</strong></a> and <a href="/article/alamosa-county"><strong>Alamosa</strong></a> Counties to the southwest, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/saguache-county"><strong>Saguache County</strong></a> to the west, and <a href="/article/custer-county"><strong>Custer County</strong></a> to the north.</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="/image/historic-huerfano-county-courthouse"><img alt="Huerfano County Courthouse" src="/sites/default/files/Huerfano_County_Courthouse_20170525_01.jpg" style="float:right; height:325px; margin:15px; width:480px" /></a>As of 2015, Huerfano County had a population of 6,492. Most of the its residents live in the county seat of <strong>Walsenburg</strong>, but smaller populations can be found in Badito, Calumet, Cuchara, Gardner, Farista, and La Veta. Short grasses and shrubs cover much of the county lowlands, with <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/conifers"><strong>piñon, pine</strong></a>, oak, and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/conifers"><strong>juniper</strong></a> growing in the mountainous regions. Huerfano’s mild mountain passes, notably <strong>La Veta</strong> and <strong>Sangre de Cristo</strong> Passes, have made it an important transportation corridor throughout history.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Early History</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>From the seventeenth century through the early nineteenth, the Huerfano County area served as a crossroads for different groups vying for control of the American West. In the seventeenth century, <strong>Jicarilla Apache</strong> people frequented what would become the plains of Huerfano County, while the <a href="/search/google/ute"><strong>Utes</strong></a> regularly passed through its western mountains. These nomadic people made seasonal treks over the area’s mountain passes, following game into and out of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/san-luis-valley"><strong>San Luis Valley</strong></a> and across multiple elevation ranges. During the eighteenth century, the Utes, Apache, and Comanche all vied for control of south central Colorado.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The Spanish began exploring northward from New Mexico in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, but did not at first attempt to settle the isolated region. In 1779 New Mexican governor <strong>Juan Bautista de Anza</strong> led a 600-man force into the Raton Basin and over Sangre de Cristo Pass in pursuit of the Comanche leader Cuerno Verde.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1806–7 the American explorer <a href="/article/zebulon-montgomery-pike"><strong>Zebulon Pike</strong></a> explored the southern portion of the <strong>Louisiana Purchase</strong> on behalf of the US government, passed through what is now southern Huerfano County on his way to the San Luis Valley. In the summer of 1820 Major <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/stephen-h-long"><strong>Stephen H. Long</strong></a> explored the area, returning east with tales of easy travel over the southern plains to New Mexico. In the 1820s, the mountain branch of the <a href="/article/santa-fé-trail-0"><strong>Santa Fé Trail</strong></a> passed through Huerfano County, and both American and French fur trappers frequented the area in the 1820s and 1830s.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>First Spain and later Mexico attempted to settle what would become northern New Mexico and southern Colorado by issuing large land grants. Many Hispano families settled in southern Colorado, raising sheep and farming; their legacy and continued presence are reflected in the local place names, landscape, and culture. Following the <a href="/article/civil-war-colorado"><strong>American Civil War</strong></a>, several treaties relegated Native Americans to reservations, which made the west seem safer for settlement. White Americans began to settle the Raton Basin and Huerfano County in the late 1860s, many raising cattle on public lands. The <a href="/article/homestead"><strong>Homestead Act</strong></a> of 1862 attracted easterners to the region, increasing local settlement.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>County Development</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Huerfano County was established in 1861 as one of the original seventeen counties of the <a href="/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a>. In 1862 Colonel John M. Francisco and French Henry Daigre completed Francisco Fort in the Cuchara Valley. The adobe fort and adjoining plaza were meant to protect the men from Native Americans as well as attract other settlers and traders by serving as a trade center. The men began farming and selling local lots, inadvertently choosing the site of the future town of La Veta in the process. The town acquired a post office in 1871 and continued to grow as families moved in from New Mexico and the eastern United States to set up homesteads in the fertile valley.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In the early 1860s, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/terminology-latino-experience-colorado"><strong>Hispano</strong></a> shepherds from the <a href="/article/san-luis-valley"><strong>San Luis Valley</strong></a> founded la Plaza de los Leones. The plaza would later become the site of the city of Walsenburg, named for Henrich Anton Frederick Walsen, who settled there in 1870. By 1865, Huerfano County had a population of 371 settlers—almost all Hispano—whose houses often resembled the stucco and adobe domiciles of northern New Mexico. Although they were the most numerous, Huerfano County Hispanos soon faced disenfranchisement. By 1900 American-owned cattle and sheep companies had bought up most of the local range land, eclipsing traditional land ownership and use.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1870 the <strong>Denver &amp; Rio Grande</strong> (D&amp;RG) and <strong>Atchison, Topeka, &amp; Santa Fe</strong> (AT&amp;SF) Railroads reached <strong>Trinidad</strong>, to the south of Huerfano County. The D&amp;RG soon extended through Huerfano County and on to the San Luis Valley over La Veta Pass, and later extended east to <strong>La Junta</strong>. The Colorado and Southern Railroad (C&amp;S) followed suit. These railways facilitated shipping and the continued growth of local agricultural and mining communities. The county seat was moved from the former trade center of Badito to Walsenburg in 1872.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Mining</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Beginning in 1875, small-scale mining in Huerfano County yielded minor amounts of gold, silver, copper, and lead; in light of these modest prospects, large-scale mineral mining did not take hold. However, during the 1880s, the rise of effective smelting processes and railway shipping sparked a greater demand for coal, which was plentiful at the base of the mountains in Huerfano County. Over the following decade, Walsenburg would come to be known as “The City Built on Coal.”</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Commercial coal mining began near Walsenburg in 1881 at the Walsen Mine, with larger mines starting up around Trinidad. These mines supplied coal to <a href="/article/colorado-fuel-iron"><strong>Colorado Fuel &amp; Iron</strong></a> (CF&amp;I) smelters in <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/pueblo"><strong>Pueblo</strong></a>. By 1890, the area around Walsenburg and Trinidad became the most important coal-producing region in Colorado, attracting thousands of foreign workers who formed ethnic communities in the nearby towns. Italians, Serbs, Slavs, and Latinos were all represented in the early mining towns, which supported no fewer than fifty mines at the high point of the county’s mining boom.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The mines of southern Colorado played an important part in the story of early twentieth-century labor struggles. The late nineteenth century saw the rise of railroad, steel, and oil tycoons who amassed huge amounts of money at the expense of their workers. Many miners felt exploited due to harsh and dangerous working conditions and company credit systems that limited their social mobility. Throughout the Rocky Mountain West, miners began protesting these conditions by joining unions and organizing strikes. Mine owners responded in various ways, from hiring strikebreakers to enlisting security forces to intimidating, deporting, or using violence against workers. In Walsenburg, two strikes in 1893 and 1903–4 failed to produce results for the miners. Tensions escalated until 1914, when National Guard soldiers killed nearly twenty men, women, and children in the nearby <a href="/article/ludlow-massacre"><strong>Ludlow Massacre</strong></a>, the climax of the <strong>Colorado Coalfield War</strong>.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Twentieth Century</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>The construction of highways in the 1930s further connected the coal mines of Huerfano County to national markets. US Highways 85 and 160 proved to be vital transportation routes throughout the century. The county continued to produce lucrative amounts of coal, but as with of the rest of the nation, the <strong>Great Depression </strong>took a toll on the local economy. Many mines closed, company towns were abandoned, and farms dried up during the Depression and <a href="/article/dust-bowl"><strong>Dust Bowl</strong></a> of the 1930s.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Though coal mining remained the dominant economic activity in Raton Basin from the 1920s to the 1940s, the drop in demand for coal after World War II—related to rising demand for oil—led to a shift back to agriculture in Huerfano County. Locals increasingly raised cattle and sheep and cultivated alfalfa, wheat, and other crops, using <strong>center-pivot irrigation</strong> systems and increasingly automated agricultural processes. The economy of Huerfano County has never recovered from the coal bust; Walsenburg’s population dropped from 6,000 in 1945 to 2,900 in 2014.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Today</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Although Huerfano County still struggles economically, local government and business leaders have attempted to capitalize on the county’s scenic open space. Additionally, Huerfano County’s exceptionally windy conditions have attracted alternative-energy developers; the Huerfano River Wind Farm ten miles north of Walsenburg is Colorado’s largest producer of wind power.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The rugged, wild, and beautiful mountains of southern Colorado have attracted outdoor tourists for generations, but the outdoor recreation industry has grown exponentially in recent years. Huerfano County offers a plethora of public lands for outdoor recreational use, including San Isabel National Forest, Lathrop State Park, nine Huerfano County State Trust Lands, and three protected wilderness areas. In 2008 the National Park Service Rivers, Trails &amp; Conservation Assistance Program began extending trails in several existing state park and <a href="/article/us-forest-service-colorado"><strong>US Forest Service</strong></a> trails in the area. Outdoor tourists and locals alike enjoy fishing, hunting, hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, camping, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling in the Huerfano wilderness. Tourism now plays an important role in the modern local economy.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Huerfano County’s historic resources also attract the attention of tourists. The town of La Veta hosts several historic structures, including the 1862 <a href="/article/francisco-plaza"><strong>Francisco Plaza</strong></a>, the 1877 <strong>La Veta Pass Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot</strong>, and the 1889 La Veta Masonic Hall. Walsenburg, too, holds historic structures such as the <a href="/article/montoya-ranch"><strong>Montoya Ranch</strong></a>, 1904 Huerfano County Courthouse &amp; Jail, the 1917 Art Deco-style <strong>Fox Theater</strong>, and the 1920 Huerfano County High School.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Additionally, the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad’s La Veta Pass Route reopened for seasonal public use in 2006, following the same path from Alamosa to La Veta used by freight lines during the region’s mining boom. The local mountain town of Gardner draws more summer travelers by hosting the Sonic Bloom and Hippie Days music events.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Huerfano County also remains an important transportation corridor. US <strong>Interstate 25</strong> and 160 and State Highways 10 and 69 offer the small, isolated towns of southern Colorado a sense of connectivity and community. Over 4 million vehicles drive through Walsenburg each year. Overall, Huerfano County remains a collection of quiet, quaint mountain towns whose architecture and population reflect a local history of Hispano settlement, rural agriculture, and western cycles of boom and bust.</p>&#13; </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/huerfano-county" hreflang="en">huerfano county</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/wet-mountain-valley" hreflang="en">Wet Mountain Valley</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/sangre-de-cristo-mountains" hreflang="en">sangre de cristo mountains</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/walsenburg" hreflang="en">walsenburg</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/la-veta-pass" hreflang="en">la veta pass</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/la-veta" hreflang="en">La Veta</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/cuchara" hreflang="en">cuchara</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/calumet" hreflang="en">calumet</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/huerfano-county-history" hreflang="en">huerfano county history</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/juan-bautista-de-anza" hreflang="en">juan bautista de anza</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/santa-fe-trail" hreflang="en">Santa Fe Trail</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Carl Abbott, Stephen J. Leonard, and Thomas J. Noel, <em>C</em><em>olorado: A History of the Centennial State</em>, 4th ed. (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2005).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Charles W. Henderson, <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0138/report.pdf">“Mining in Colorado: A History of Discovery, Development, and Production,” </a>USGS (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, March 22, 1926).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>History Colorado, <a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/oahp/huerfano-county">Huerfano County</a>, n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Robert A. Murray, “<a href="https://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/wo/Planning_and_Renewable_Resources/coop_agencies/new_documents/co3.Par.19710.File.dat/Murray.pdf">A History of the Raton Basin: Las Animas, Huerfano, and Custer: Three Colorado Counties on a Cultural Frontier</a>,” Bureau of Land Management, (Denver: Colorado State Office, 1978).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>SLV Museum Association, <a href="https://www.museumtrail.org/francisco-fort-museum">Francisco Fort Museum</a>, updated 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.cityofwalsenburg.net/steeped-in-history">Steeped in History: Walsenburg’s Early Years</a>, City of Walsenburg, n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Census Bureau, <a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/08055">Huerfano County Quick Facts</a>, updated 2015.</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p><a href="https://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/mineral-resources/historic-mining-districts/huerfano-county/">Colorado Geological Survey: Huerfano County</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://huerfano.us/">Huerfano County Government</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.huerfanohistory.org/">Huerfano County Historical Society</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="http://huerfano.us/uploads/hctp.pdf">Huerfano County Trails Master Plan 2011</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.coloradotrain.com/about/">Rio Grande Scenic Railroad La Veta Pass Route</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="http://huerfano.us/Walsenburg.php">Walsenburg, Colorado</a></p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Tue, 31 Jan 2017 19:36:01 +0000 yongli 2253 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Fremont County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/fremont-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Fremont County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2250--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2250.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/john-c-fremont"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Fremont-Media-5_0.jpg?itok=cHx5kixm" width="1000" height="1287" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/john-c-fremont" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">John C. Fremont</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Fremont County is named for John C. Fremont, an American explorer who led several expeditions in search of railroad routes through Colorado during the mid-nineteenth century.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2251--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2251.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/fremont-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/_Fremont_County_0.png?itok=rkT3GYqZ" width="1024" height="741" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/fremont-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Fremont County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Fremont County, named for the American explorer John C. Fremont, was established in 1861 as one of the original seventeen counties of the Colorado Territory.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> <button class="carousel-control-prev" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="prev"> <span class="carousel-control-prev-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Previous</span> </button> <button class="carousel-control-next" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="next"> <span class="carousel-control-next-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Next</span> </button> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-01-31T10:47:30-07:00" title="Tuesday, January 31, 2017 - 10:47" class="datetime">Tue, 01/31/2017 - 10:47</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/fremont-county" data-a2a-title="Fremont County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Ffremont-county&amp;title=Fremont%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Fremont County is located in south-central Colorado, bordered by <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/park-county"><strong>Park</strong></a> and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/teller-county"><strong>Teller</strong></a> Counties to the north, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/el-paso-county"><strong>El Paso County</strong></a> to the east, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/pueblo-county"><strong>Pueblo County</strong></a> to the southeast, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/custer-county"><strong>Custer County</strong></a> to the south, and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/saguache-county"><strong>Saguache</strong></a> and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/chaffee-county"><strong>Chaffee</strong></a> Counties to the north. Fremont County comprises 1,533 square miles with an estimated population of 46,502. The county seat and largest city is <strong>Cañon City</strong>, located at the eastern mouth of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/royal-gorge"><strong>Royal Gorge</strong></a> of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/arkansas-river"><strong>Arkansas River</strong></a>.</p> <p>Fremont County was established in 1859 and named after western explorer and politician <a href="/article/john-c-frémont"><strong>John C. Frémont</strong></a>. While it shares with other Colorado counties a history of Native American habitation, agriculture, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/precious-metal-mining-colorado"><strong>mining</strong></a>, and railroads, Fremont County’s history of oil extraction and correctional facilities has uniquely shaped its past and present.</p> <h2>Dinosaur Discoveries</h2> <p>The first dinosaur bone discovered in Colorado was near Cañon City in late 1869 or early 1870. Over the next decade, scientists discovered many more dinosaur bones. In the 1880s Yale paleontologist <strong>Othniel C. Marsh</strong>, with the help of Cañon City resident Marshall P. Felch, discovered and named the <em>Stegosaurus stenops</em>, known commonly today as simply Stegosaurus. Since then many other paleontological discoveries of the Late Jurassic period (160 to 145 million years ago) have been made at the Garden Park Fossil Area near Cañon City.</p> <h2>Early History</h2> <p>Archaeological study has found that humans inhabited Colorado as early as 11,000 years ago. Ancient indigenous groups inhabited the plains and mountains regions throughout the state but largely abandoned the whole of Colorado by the mid-1400s. The Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, Comanche, Blackfoot, and Lakota (Sioux) tribes all inhabited the areas surrounding Fremont County at certain points in time, but the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/search/google/ute"><strong>Ute</strong></a> remained the dominant tribe in the region for many centuries and are the oldest residents of Colorado, likely arriving sometime around 1500.</p> <p>Of the seven Ute bands, the Muache band, occupied the area east of the Rocky Mountains, their territory extending from Denver to Trinidad and down to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Today the Muache and Capote bands comprise the federally recognized <strong>Southern Ute tribe</strong>, based in Ignacio, Colorado.</p> <p>Early Spanish expeditions in the 1500s and 1600s, such as the party of <strong>Francisco Vasquez de Coronado</strong>, may have crossed into parts of southern Colorado, but the Spanish could not find gold or silver and thus lost interest in the area for the next century. In 1803 the eastern part of Colorado became a US territory through the<strong> Louisiana Purchase</strong>, while the western part of the state was still under Spanish control. In 1806 <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/zebulon-montgomery-pike"><strong>Zebulon Montgomery Pike</strong></a> set out on a federally commissioned expedition to explore the region. He and his party led a grueling trek down the Arkansas River and camped at present-day Cañon City near the Royal Gorge.</p> <h2>County Formation</h2> <p>Tasked with conducting geographical survey of parts of the rural West, John C. Frémont first traveled through the Fremont County region in 1843, when he traveled up the Arkansas River to what is now Leadville. Between 1843 and 1852, Frémont conducted five expeditions that led him through land that would become Fremont County. He was supported by his guide, <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/kit-carson"><strong>Kit Carson</strong></a>, whom Frémont popularized through accounts of their adventures. Frémont’s reports portrayed Carson as a rugged mountain man, and his reputation grew throughout the country. Following his decade of expeditions, Frémont went on to serve as a politician and presidential candidate in the 1856 election.</p> <p>In the decades before the respective gold and silver rushes, Cañon City was an important supply center on the wagon roads leading to mountain mining camps.</p> <p>Prior to establishment of the <a href="/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a>, the Fremont County area was part of the Kansas Territory. In 1861, the Colorado Territory was established with seventeen original counties, including Fremont County. The county originally comprised parts of modern-day <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/huerfano-county"><strong>Huerfano</strong></a> and Custer Counties. The last change made to the Fremont County borders was in 1899, when Teller County was established and took part of northern Fremont County. In 1862 Cañon City was named the county seat.</p> <h2>Oil Industry</h2> <p>Trade and agriculture were the county’s primary industries until the 1860s, when the oil industry propelled the economy, and later during the 1870s and 1880s, when coal mining and railroads changed the face of the county. The names of several Fremont County communities, such as Coal Creek and Coaldale, reflect the role of the coal industry in the county’s development.</p> <p>The <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/oil-spring"><strong>Oil Spring</strong></a> site outside of Florence was the location of the first commercial production of oil in Colorado and the first oil well drilled in the state. Prospecting at the site led to the development of Colorado’s first oil company, G. Bowen &amp; Co., in 1860, though it was never a commercial operation. The Colorado Oil Company began drilling its first oil well in 1862, but production never advanced beyond one to three barrels per day, because oil at depth was not found. Oil production stalled at Oil Spring, but in 1881 promoter and businessman Alexander M. Cassiday and oil driller Isaac Canfield finally struck deep oil. The successful find led to the development of the Florence Oil Field, which was in operation until the 1960s.</p> <h2>Coal and CF&amp;I</h2> <p>Jesse Frazier discovered the first coal deposits in Fremont County near then-unincorporated <strong>Coal Creek</strong> in 1860. Frazier later sold his claim to Joseph T. Musser, who ran a small mining operation for just under a decade before selling it to the Colorado Coal Company, the predecessor of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorado-fuel-iron"><strong>Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (CF&amp;I)</strong></a>. Mining would remain relatively small scale until the 1870s, when the introduction of the railroad changed the region’s industrial capabilities. In 1872, enticed by the potential of the region’s burgeoning coal industry, General <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/william-jackson-palmer"><strong>William Jackson Palmer</strong></a> extended his <strong>Denver &amp; Rio Grande Railroad </strong>(D&amp;RG) to Coal Creek. In 1874 the line was completed through Cañon City, which served as the western terminus of the D&amp;RG until the end of the Royal Gorge Railroad War.</p> <p>In the 1870s and 1880s other coal communities sprang up throughout the county, including Rockvale, Bear Gulch, Chandler, and later Prospect Heights. At one time there were nearly seventy coal mines in Fremont County, most of which were owned and operated by CF&amp;I, which went on to dominate Colorado’s coal and mining industries. In 1906, it was estimated that 10 percent of Coloradans depended on the company for employment.</p> <p>The early 1900s saw massive labor conflicts involving CF&amp;I throughout Colorado, including a gold miners’ strike in <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/cripple-creek"><strong>Cripple Creek</strong></a> in 1903–4 and the <strong>Colorado Coalfield War</strong> in the 1910s.</p> <h2>Royal Gorge Railroad War</h2> <p>Once called the Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River, the Royal Gorge is the county’s most notable natural feature, drawing tribal and European inhabitants for centuries. Scientists concur that the gorge is the result of erosion alone. The Royal Gorge is approximately ten miles long with granite walls 1,000 feet high. The Arkansas River, one of the longest in the country, runs through the gorge.</p> <p>In 1877, when silver was discovered in what would become Leadville, the D&amp;RG in Cañon City and the <strong>Atchison, Topeka &amp; Santa Fe Railway</strong> in Pueblo began an aggressive competition to extend a rail line to Leadville through the narrow Royal Gorge, which had space for only one rail line. In 1879, after gunfights between the two railroad crews and a legal battle that ended at the US Supreme Court, the D&amp;RG was granted the primary right to build a line through the gorge. The D&amp;RG line through the gorge allowed for increased transportation between cities in Fremont County and the mining camps in the mountains.</p> <h2>Correctional Facilities</h2> <p>Fremont County has a long history with penitentiaries. On January 7, 1868, the Colorado Territorial Legislature established the <strong>Colorado Territorial Prison</strong> in Cañon City, which officially opened June 1, 1871. The prison was generally well received by the community, as lawlessness in the rural western region had become violent and difficult to manage. After Colorado became a state in 1876, the facility was given to the state and renamed Colorado State Prison. Today it’s known as the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility or by its nickname, “Old Max.” The facility has housed many notorious criminals, including the cannibal<a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/alferd-packer"> </a><a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/alferd-packer"><strong>Alferd Packard</strong></a>.</p> <p>Throughout the twentieth century the county became home to more than a dozen state and federal correctional facilities at every level of security. The Federal Correctional Complex in Florence has four separate prison facilities within it, including the Prison Camp, the Federal Correctional Institution, the United States Penitentiary, and the Administrative Maximum Penitentiary, also known as “Super Max” or ADX. ADX is the only exclusively supermaximum security facility in the nation, housing the most dangerous convicts in the federal prison system.</p> <p>In addition, Fremont County is the site of nine state correctional facilities, seven of which are within the East Cañon Correctional Complex just outside Cañon City. These include Skyline Correctional Center, Four Mile Correctional Center, Pre-Release Center, Arrowhead Correctional Center, Fremont Correctional Facility, Centennial Correctional Facility, and the Colorado State Penitentiary, which houses the state’s death row and execution chamber. The other two are the aforementioned Colorado State Prison and the <strong>Colorado Women’s Correctional Facility</strong>, located on the eastern edge of Cañon City. The original Colorado Women’s Prison operated from 1935 to 1968, but no longer houses inmates and is now the site of the Colorado Territorial Prison Museum.</p> <p>Today, Fremont County is the home of thirteen correctional facilities. More than half the jobs in the county stem from the prison industry, and 38 percent of the populations of Cañon City and Florence are inmates.</p> <h2>Twentieth-Century Developments</h2> <p>An extensive irrigation system built in the 1860s led to a flourishing agricultural industry that carried on into the twentieth century as orchards and dairy operations grew.</p> <p>Tourism also flourished as an industry in the twentieth century. The Royal Gorge had always attracted visitors, but the <strong>Royal Gorge Bridge</strong>, the United States’ highest suspension bridge, has brought thousands of visitors per year since its construction in 1929. The bridge was built to accommodate automobile travel but is used primarily as a pedestrian bridge.</p> <p>In the 1920s local Cañon City resident and Baptist reverend Fred Arnold was appointed the Grand Dragon of the Colorado Realm of the<strong> <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/ku-klux-klan-colorado">Ku Klux Klan</a></strong>. It is believed that the Klan’s rise in the Cañon City area grew out of anti-Catholic sentiment in response to the Holy Cross Abbey’s intent to build a church in Cañon City. At the time Colorado had the largest, most influential Knights of the Klan organization west of the Mississippi River. The Klan held political power in the region from 1924 to 1928, not only controlling the Cañon City government but also influencing Fremont County and the state government in Denver. The organization’s political control of Fremont County gradually subsided following the sudden death of Arnold in 1928.</p> <p>In the 1970s, Cañon City and other parts of Fremont County became popular destinations for film productions, particularly westerns. <em>The Cowboys</em>, starring John Wayne; <em>The Duchess and the Dirtywater Fox</em>, starring Goldie Hawn and George Segal; and <em>How the West Was Won</em>, starring James Arness and Bruce Boxleitner, were filmed in the surrounding area.</p> <h2>Today</h2> <p>Today the Fremont County economy thrives on its correctional industry as well as on tourism. The Royal Gorge alone draws more than 200,000 annual visitors to the region. Cañon City and Florence maintain strong local historic preservation programs that have revitalized historic buildings in the communities to attract businesses and tourists.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/fremont-county" hreflang="en">Fremont County</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/fremont-county-history" hreflang="en">fremont county history</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/coal" hreflang="en">coal</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/dinosaur-fossils" hreflang="en">dinosaur fossils</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/canon-city" hreflang="en">Cañon City</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/royal-gorge" hreflang="en">royal gorge</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/arkansas-river" hreflang="en">Arkansas River</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/great-railroad-war" hreflang="en">great railroad war</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/colorado-territorial-prison" hreflang="en">colorado territorial prison</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/colorado-state-penitentiary" hreflang="en">colorado state penitentiary</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Carl Abbott, Stephen J. Leonard, and Thomas J. Noel, <em>Colorado: A History of the Centennial State</em> (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2005).</p> <p>Cañon City Chamber of Commerce, “History of Cañon City,” n.d.</p> <p>Carie Canterbury, “<a href="https://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/2014/04/10/ku-klux-klan-once-a-fremont-county-political-powerhouse/">Ku Klux Klan Once a Fremont County Political Powerhouse</a>,” <em>Cañon City Daily Record</em>, April 10, 2014.</p> <p>Colorado State Archives, “<a href="https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/archives/co-history-chronology">Colorado History Chronology</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Dinosaur Depot Museum, “<a href="https://www.dinosaurdepot.com/history_p1.htm">A Short History of Dinosaur Collecting: Garden Park Fossil Area, Cañon City, Colorado</a>,” 2013.</p> <p>Florence Chamber of Commerce, “<a href="http://finditinflorence.comcommunity-history">Community History</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Fremont County, “Colorado References Timeline,” 2016.</p> <p>Fremont County, “Fremont County History,” 2016.</p> <p>Garden Park Fossil Area, Marsh-Felch Quarry, “<a href="http://www.handsontheland.org/garden-park/marsh-felch-quarry.html">Marshall P. Felch and His Dinosaur Quarry</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>John M. Glionna, “<a href="https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-prison-valley-20150813-story.html">In Colorado’s Prison Valley, Corrections Are a Way of Life</a>,” <em>Los Angeles Times</em>, August 13, 2015.</p> <p>Beverly Kissell Harris, “<a href="https://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/2013/08/01/the-coal-camps-of-rockvale-and-coal-creek/">The Coal Camps of Rockvale and Coal Creek</a>,” <em>Cañon City Daily Record</em>, August 1, 2013.</p> <p>History Colorado, “<a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/oahp/fremont-county">Fremont County</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Howard R. Lamar, ed., <em>The New Encyclopedia of the American West </em>(New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998).</p> <p>R. Laurie and Thomas H. Simmons, “<a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/files/OAHP/Programs/SHF_Survey_CanonCity2004-05.pdf">Historic Buildings Survey of Downtown Cañon City, Colorado: Final Survey Report</a>,” June 2005.The Royal Gorge Bridge, <a href="https://www.pikes-peak.com/attractions/royal-gorge-bridge-and-park/">Pikes Peak Country Attractions</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Royal Gorge Railroad, “<a href="https://www.royalgorgeroute.com/about-us/history/">Royal Gorge History: A History of Rivals Amid Scenic Splenor [sic]</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Judy Suchan, “<a href="https://www.cozine.com:8443/2011-january/the-?war?-for-the-royal-gorge">The ‘War’ for the Royal Gorge</a>,” <em>Colorado Central Magazine,</em> January 3, 2011.</p> <p>Southern Ute Indian Tribe, “<a href="https://www.southernute-nsn.gov/history/">History of the Southern Ute</a>,” n.d.</p> <p>Don Stanwyck, <a href="http://stanwyck.com/cogenweb/cocounties.html">Colorado County Evolution</a>, CoGenWeb Project, 2003.</p> <p>US Census Bureau, “<a href="http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/08/08043.html">Quick Facts: Fremont County, Colorado</a>,” updated 2015.</p> <p>The West Film Project and WETA, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-west/">Events in THE WEST</a>, 1840–1850, PBS.org, 2001.</p> <p>Sammy M. Wittmer, <a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/files/OAHP/NRSR/5FN720.pdf">Cañon City Downtown Historic District</a>, National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form, September 7, 1983.</p> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p><a href="http://www.canoncity.org/">Cañon City</a></p> <p><a href="https://fremontcountyco.gov/">Fremont County</a></p> <p>History.com, “<a href="https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fremont-begins-his-second-western-expedition">This Day in History, May 29, 1843: Fremont Begins His Second Western Expedition</a>.”</p> <p><a href="https://prisonmuseum.org/">Museum of Colorado Prisons</a></p> <p><a href="https://royalgorgebridge.com/">Royal Gorge Bridge and Park</a></p> <p>Royal Gorge Region, "<a href="https://www.colorado.com/canon-city/travel-information-services/other-tourism-organizations/the-royal-gorge-region">Family Adventures in the Royal Gorge Region</a>," Colorado Tourism, 2017.</p> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Tue, 31 Jan 2017 17:47:30 +0000 yongli 2248 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Sedgwick County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/sedgwick-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Sedgwick County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2244--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2244.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/sedgwick-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Sedgwick%20County%20Media%201_0.jpg?itok=cgld1LbN" width="640" height="463" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/sedgwick-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Sedgwick County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Sedgwick County was officially established in 1889 and is named for Fort Sedgwick, a military post that protected travelers along the Overland Trail.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--872--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--872.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/burning-julesburg"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Julesburg-1_0.jpg?itok=ipKlw1xX" width="1000" height="629" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/burning-julesburg" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">The Burning of Julesburg</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The first town of Julesburg was founded at an important crossing of the South Platte River. In January 1865 Native Americans raided the town and burned it to the ground.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--873--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--873.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/second-julesburg"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Julesburg-2-X-9603_0.jpg?itok=j5klnvUp" width="1000" height="574" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/second-julesburg" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Second Julesburg</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The second town of Julesburg was established on the south side of the South Platte River after the first town of Julesburg was burned to the ground. The town was abandoned in 1867 when residents learned that the Union Pacific Railroad planned to follow the north shore of the river.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--874--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--874.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/fourth-julesburg"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Julesburg-3-Z-5598_0.jpg?itok=dtJCMBf7" width="1000" height="586" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/fourth-julesburg" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Fourth Julesburg</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The fourth town of Julesburg was established in 1886 when Union Pacific built a branch that connected the transcontinental line to Denver. The original depot was constructed from wood and served the community until 1929, when a new brick building was commissioned.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> <button class="carousel-control-prev" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="prev"> <span class="carousel-control-prev-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Previous</span> </button> <button class="carousel-control-next" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="next"> <span class="carousel-control-next-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Next</span> </button> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-01-31T10:24:46-07:00" title="Tuesday, January 31, 2017 - 10:24" class="datetime">Tue, 01/31/2017 - 10:24</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/sedgwick-county" data-a2a-title="Sedgwick County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Fsedgwick-county&amp;title=Sedgwick%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Sedgwick County covers 549 square miles in the northeastern corner of Colorado. It was established in 1889 and named for <strong>Fort Sedgwick</strong>. Straddling the<a href="/article/south-platte-river"> <strong>South Platte River</strong></a>, the county is bordered by Nebraska’s Deuel and Perkins Counties to the north and east, and by Colorado’s <a href="/article/phillips-county"><strong>Phillips</strong></a> and <a href="/article/logan-county"><strong>Logan</strong></a> Counties to the south and west.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Today Sedgwick County has a population of around 2,400. <strong>Julesburg</strong>, located near the county’s northern border with Nebraska, is the county seat and has a population of 1,225. The town was a busy way station along nineteenth-century transportation routes, particularly the <strong>Union Pacific</strong> railroad. Today<strong>, Interstate 76</strong> runs just south of Julesburg, terminating at Interstate 80 just over the Colorado-Nebraska border. Other towns include Sedgwick (pop. 191) and Ovid (330). US Highway 138 connects all three towns, meeting US 385 in Julesburg. Agriculture is Sedgwick County’s main economic driver; as of 2012 the county had 226 farms valued at more than $101 million.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Native Americans</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>From around AD 1000 to 1400, members of the <a href="/article/upper-republican-and-itskari-cultures"><strong>Upper Republican and Itskari</strong></a> cultures occupied parts of northeast Colorado, including present-day Sedgwick County. These semisedentary people fished, farmed, and hunted buffalo, living in<a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/earth-lodge"><strong> earth lodges</strong></a> and crafting distinctive ceramic pots. While they were apparently able to thrive in eastern Colorado for nearly three centuries, it appears that environmental pressures—most likely drought—caused them to gradually abandon the region. There is little evidence of their presence in the area by the mid-fifteenth century.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>During the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth, the rapid expansion of the Lakota displaced a number of other equestrian groups from the northern plains, including the <strong>Arapaho</strong>, <strong>Cheyenne</strong>, and <strong>Kiowa</strong>. These groups filtered south onto the plains of Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado. The Pawnee also made occasional visits to eastern Colorado, though they mostly frequented present-day Kansas and Nebraska.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>By 1790 the Kiowa had moved onto the plains from the mountains of Montana. The Cheyenne and Arapaho, meanwhile, had been migrating westward from their homelands in the upper Midwest since the early eighteenth century. By 1800 the Lakota had forced both the Cheyenne and Arapaho out of present-day South Dakota. The Cheyenne and Arapaho followed the bison herds across the plains, living in portable dwellings called <a href="/article/tipi-0"><strong>tipis</strong></a>. During the  harsh plains winters, they found shelter near bluffs and in <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/cottonwood-trees"><strong>cottonwood</strong></a> groves along the river bottoms.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>White American traffic across the <a href="/article/colorado%E2%80%99s-great-plains"><strong>Colorado Plains</strong></a> increased during the 1840s with the organization of the Oregon Territory and the California Gold Rush of 1849. In response to this incursion, Indigenous people sometimes harassed or stole from wagon trains, and many whites came to fear these attacks as they crossed the plains. In 1851 the federal government sought to make the westward journey safer for white travelers with the <a href="/article/treaty-fort-laramie"><strong>Treaty of Fort Laramie</strong></a>, signed by leaders of the Cheyenne, Lakota, Arapaho, and other Indigenous nations. The treaty acknowledged Native American sovereignty across the plains, and each group would receive annual payments in exchange for guaranteeing safe passage for whites and allowing the government to build forts in their territory.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1856 US Army Lt. Francis Bryan found an American Indian trail on the south side of the South Platte with a crossing near present-day Julesburg. The army began using the route, and in the aftermath of the <a href="/article/colorado-gold-rush"><strong>Colorado Gold Rush</strong></a> it became part of the <a href="/article/overland-trail"><strong>Overland Trail</strong></a>, named for the Holladay Overland Mail and Express Company. The ford was known by several names, including “Upper California Crossing” and “Morrell’s Crossing.” The land near the crossing became a busy way station for westward-bound Anglo-Americans, with parties waiting hours, sometimes days, for their turn to ford the river.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Jules, Jack, and Julesburg<strong> </strong></h2>&#13; &#13; <p>The history of present-day Julesburg began with the establishment of a way station near the South Platte ford in 1859. A French Canadian trader named Jules Beni set up a saloon and restaurant to serve travelers, and the stop soon became one of the best-known establishments between Missouri and Colorado. This also made it a haven for outlaws, who came to prey on travelers. Beni expanded his establishment to include a warehouse, blacksmith shop, and stable, and eventually became the local stationmaster for the Leavenworth City &amp; Pikes Peak Express stage line.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>However, Jules proved a disinterested and corrupt station manager, taking money and supplies from the company and presiding over crippling scheduling delays. By late 1859, the Leavenworth &amp; Pike’s Peak company was in the process of reorganizing and revamping its operations. Under a new name, the Central Overland California &amp; Pike’s Peak Express, the company sent freighter and gunman <strong>Jack Slade</strong> to Julesburg to remove Beni as stationmaster  and clean up the operations.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>When Slade arrived in the fall of 1859, Beni willingly gave up control of the stage line, probably because he still owned many businesses in the town that depended on the line. But Beni continued to plot with outlaws to steal money and horses from the company, and his relations with Slade quickly soured.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Various later accounts describe a confrontation between Jules and Slade and a rivalry that persisted for at least a year. The most recent scholarship, presented by Dan Rottenberg in <em>Death of a Gunfighter</em> (2008), finds that Beni ambushed and shot Slade—how many times is unclear—at his restaurant/saloon. Slade survived and returned to manage the stage company’s operations. In 1861, according to Rottenberg, Slade learned of Beni’s whereabouts and sent a group of men to arrest him. The posse found Jules near Cold Springs Station, Wyoming, but was forced to kill him in an altercation. Denied his revenge, Slade allegedly cut off both of Beni’s ears before continuing his career with the stage company.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>As stationmaster, Slade played an instrumental role in Julesburg’s early history. But later in his life, Slade descended into a brutish career of drunken crime and violence. After several drunken rampages, he was hanged in Virginia City, Montana, in 1864.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Julesburg, meanwhile, had grown into a prominent stop along the Overland Trail as well as the Pony Express. The tiny stopover, consisting of just four buildings in 1860, saw hundreds of immigrants pass through on their way to the Colorado gold fields. By 1862 Julesburg featured a hotel, several houses, and a general store.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Relations with Indigenous People</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>The gold rush caused the federal government to shift its Indian policy in Colorado away from recognizing Indian sovereignty and toward removal. In 1861 the <a href="/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a> was established, and the federal government and Indigenous leaders negotiated the <a href="/article/treaty-fort-wise"><strong>Treaty of Fort Wise</strong></a>. Under this new agreement, the Southern Cheyenne and Southern Arapaho agreed to move to a small reservation in eastern Colorado, between the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/arkansas-river"><strong>Arkansas River</strong></a> and Sand Creek. Still, many Cheyenne and Arapaho continued to hunt in the larger territory that the United States recognized in the Treaty of Fort Laramie. Seeing the whites as invaders, Indians sometimes attacked wagons, burned ranches, took white captives, and stole cattle and horses.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Camp Rankin was established near Julesburg in the early 1860s to protect the stage lines and white travelers from Indians. Tensions between Native Americans and whites erupted into all-out war after US troops under Col. <strong>John Chivington</strong> slaughtered more than 150 peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians—mostly women, children, and the elderly—at <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/sand-creek-massacre"><strong>Sand Creek</strong></a> in November 1864. The Indians were camped on the agreed-upon reservation in present-day <a href="/article/kiowa-county"><strong>Kiowa County</strong></a>. In January 1865 a retaliatory force of some 1,000 Lakota, Cheyenne, and Northern Arapaho raided Julesburg, destroyed surrounding ranches, and drove away cattle and horses. In this first assault, Julesburg’s buildings were left intact. But in a second attack, on February 2, the warriors burned Julesburg to the ground.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>While the former residents of Julesburg wondered whether their town would rise from its ashes, the federal government decided a proper fort was needed near Julesburg. Fort Sedgwick was completed in September 1865. It was named after Major General John Sedgwick, who was killed in the Battle of Spotsylvania in May 1864. Three years later, under the terms of the <a href="/article/medicine-lodge-treaties"><strong>Medicine Lodge Treaty</strong></a>, the Cheyenne and Arapaho were to relocate to present-day Oklahoma. But many, especially the younger members of both tribes, decided to keep fighting. In 1869 the US Army defeated the Cheyenne leader <strong>Tall Bull</strong>’s <strong>Dog Soldiers</strong> at the <strong>Battle of Summit Springs</strong> in present-day <a href="/article/washington-county"><strong>Washington County</strong></a>, marking the end of Native American resistance on the Colorado plains.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Julesburgs II, III, and IV</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Former Julesburg residents staked out a second iteration of their town in March 1867, on the south side of the Platte River near its confluence with Lodgepole Creek. The Union Pacific railroad had not yet decided which bank of the Platte its route would follow, and so founders of Julesburg II took a guess. They were wrong, but fortunately had not put too much work into the new town. In the summer of 1867 the residents pulled up stakes and established a third Julesburg about two and a half miles north and across the Platte. J. P. Allen built the first hotel in June, and on June 23 the Union Pacific arrived. By July 16 Julesburg III had the old town’s telegraph office and a large freight house owned by the stage company Wells Fargo.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The town’s population numbered around 3,000 in 1867. With its numerous saloons, gambling and prostitution houses, and posses of armed residents (both men and women), Julesburg III soon earned a reputation as “The Wickedest City in the West.” Many residents and visitors compared the town to hell, and the many large watch fires that burned around it at night undoubtedly made the comparison more apt in the eyes of observers.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The soldiers who watched the blazing torches of Julesburg from Fort Sedgwick, however, probably wished they were in the city instead of at the <a href="/article/nineteenth-century-trading-posts"><strong>post</strong></a>. The fort declined in importance with the end of the Indian Wars and the arrival of the Union Pacific on the opposite side of the Platte. By 1870 just two barracks remained at the fort, and the next year it was officially closed.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>After the Union Pacific railroad crew moved on, Julesburg III again shrank to a tiny outpost, holding on until 1881. That year the Union Pacific connected its Denver branch to the transcontinental route at a spot about four miles east of Julesburg III, and so by 1886 the town had again relocated, this time for good.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>County Development</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Sedgwick and Phillips Counties were carved from greater Logan County in 1889. In 1900 Sedgwick County had a population of 971, and its first courthouse was built in 1904.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Farmers in Sedgwick County had long produced staple crops such as wheat and alfalfa, but increased demand for domestic sugar in the first few decades of the twentieth century produced a new cash crop, the <a href="/article/sugar-beet-industry"><strong>sugar beet</strong></a>. Colorado’s beet acreage increased from 108,005 in 1909 to 205,647 by 1924, and sugar-processing plants went up in <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/fort-collins"><strong>Fort Collins</strong></a>, <strong>Loveland</strong>, <strong>Brighton</strong>, and other places.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1925 the Great Western Sugar Company brought the sugar beet boom to Sedgwick County when it established the company town of Ovid and opened a sugar-processing factory there. As late as 1930, Sedgwick County had no meaningful beet production to speak of, but by 1940 county farmers had planted more than 3,500 acres. The value of that crop more than doubled over the next five years, increasing from $198,016 to $442,478.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Since its relocation to the Union Pacific junction in 1886, Julesburg had been an important shipping hub for the area’s produce. The town’s wooden railroad depot had sufficed for several decades, but in the midst of the state’s sugar beet boom in the 1920s, local residents and merchants pushed for a new station. The Union Pacific opened its <a href="/article/julesburg-union-pacific-depot"><strong>new passenger and freight depot</strong></a> in Julesburg in 1930, and the one-story building soon became the town’s social center.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Sedgwick County began the 1930s with a sugar plant in Ovid, a new railroad depot in Julesburg, and a population of 5,580, which proved to be an all-time high. But the decade would bring hardship in the form of the worsening <strong>Great Depression</strong> and the <a href="/article/dust-bowl"><strong>Dust Bowl</strong></a>. Huge dust storms, resulting from the excessive plowing of the prairie since 1900, raked the county, and a crash in agricultural prices caused many people to lose their farms. Sedgwick County lost some 286 residents between 1930 and 1940, but overall it fared better than other plains counties. Thanks in part to funding from the Works Progress Administration, one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s <a href="/article/new-deal-colorado"><strong>New Deal</strong></a> initiatives, the county gained a new courthouse in 1939.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Agricultural Changes</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>The decades that followed saw innovations in agriculture, including machinery that allowed for larger yields and diesel and natural gas-powered pumps that allowed farmers to tap additional <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/water-colorado"><strong>water</strong></a> supplies in the underlying Ogallala Aquifer. This allowed farmers to grow more water-intensive crops, such as corn, in an otherwise dry area. In 1950 Sedgwick County had just over 10,000 acres of corn, but by 1982 the crop covered 35,426 acres.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Mechanization, meanwhile, allowed for larger farms and encouraged the consolidation of farmland by those who could afford to invest in the new machinery. Sedgwick County reflected this trend, as its 474 farms in 1950 became 253 farms in 1982, despite a minimal gain in total farm acreage. The average farm size, meanwhile, nearly doubled during that period, growing from 660 acres to 1,284 acres.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Mechanization and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/irrigation-colorado"><strong>irrigation</strong></a> allowed Sedgwick County farmers to put an additional 92,577 acres under irrigated cultivation between 1950 and 1982—more than 2,800 acres per year. Sugar beet acreage, however, declined to just 1,707 acres, mirroring a statewide trend. Great Western Sugar went bankrupt in 1985 and shuttered many of its Colorado factories, including the Ovid factory.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Today</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Today, agriculture remains the backbone of the Sedgwick County economy. The county ranks eighth among Colorado counties in corn production and thirteenth in wheat production, and also produces a significant amount of <a href="/article/sunflowers"><strong>sunflower</strong></a> seeds.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Heritage is also a major part of Sedgwick County today, and heritage tourism is augmented by Interstate 76, completed in the 1970s as the latest in a long history of major transportation routes through the county. Julesburg’s rich history, on display at the <strong>Fort Sedgwick Museum</strong>, offers insight into the history of these routes, as well as into nineteenth-century conflict and town life on Colorado’s eastern plains. Julesburg also features a Depot Museum highlighting the Union Pacific’s history in the town.</p>&#13; </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/sedgwick-county" hreflang="en">sedgwick county</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/fort-sedgwick" hreflang="en">Fort Sedgwick</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/julesburg" hreflang="en">julesburg</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/julesburg-history" hreflang="en">julesburg history</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/overland-trail" hreflang="en">overland trail</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/jack-slade" hreflang="en">jack slade</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/south-platte-river" hreflang="en">south platte river</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/northeast-colorado" hreflang="en">northeast colorado</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Colorado State University Libraries, “<a href="https://lib.colostate.edu/archives/greatwestern/history.html">History</a>,” Great Western Sugar Digital Collection, n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Doris Monahan, <em>Julesburg and Fort Sedgwick: Wicked City—Scandalous Fort </em>(Sterling, CO: Self-published, 2009).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>“<a href="http://longmontian.blogspot.com/2014/02/ovid-colorado-sugar-factory-1926-1985.html">Ovid, Colorado Sugar Factory (1926–1985)</a>,” <em>Observations about Longmont, Colorado </em>(blog post), February 9, 2014.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Dan Rottenberg, <em>Death of a Gunfighter: The Quest for Jack Slade, the West’s Most Elusive Legend </em>(Yardley, PA: Westholme Publishing, 2008).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2012/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/">2012 Census of Agriculture County Profile: Sedgwick County Colorado</a>,” National Agricultural Statistics Service.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="https://usda.library.cornell.edu/">Colorado-Arizona</a>,” US Census of Agriculture, vol. 2, part 3 (1930).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="http://agcensus.mannlib.cornell.edu/AgCensus/getVolumeOnePart.do?year=1945&amp;part_id=620&amp;number=41&amp;title=Colorado">Colorado</a>,” US Census of Agriculture, vol. 1, part 41 (1945).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="http://agcensus.mannlib.cornell.edu/AgCensus/getVolumeOnePart.do?year=1982&amp;part_id=6&amp;number=6&amp;title=Colorado">Colorado</a>,” US Census of Agriculture, vol. 1, part 6 (1982).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Elliot West, <em>Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers, and the Rush to Colorado </em>(Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1998).</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p><a href="https://www.colorado.com/julesburg/history-heritage/history-museums/fort-sedgwick-museum-and-depot-museum">Fort Sedgwick Museum</a> (Colorado tourism page)</p> <p><a href="https://www.townofjulesburg.com/Pages/default.aspx">Julesburg</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.sedgwickcountygov.net/">Sedgwick County</a></p> <p>Sedgwick County Historical Society, <em>The History of Sedgwick County, Colorado </em>(Dallas, TX: National Sharegraphics, 1982).</p> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Tue, 31 Jan 2017 17:24:46 +0000 yongli 2245 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Chaffee County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/chaffee-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Chaffee County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2238--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2238.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/chaffee-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/1280px-Map_of_Colorado_highlighting_Chaffee_County.svg__0.png?itok=Rnpo-yqV" width="1090" height="789" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/chaffee-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Chaffee County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Chaffee County was formed in 1879 and named for Jerome Chaffee, a mining investor and one of Colorado’s first US senators.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-01-30T16:45:48-07:00" title="Monday, January 30, 2017 - 16:45" class="datetime">Mon, 01/30/2017 - 16:45</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/chaffee-county" data-a2a-title="Chaffee County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Fchaffee-county&amp;title=Chaffee%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Chaffee County lies in central Colorado on the eastern slope of the <strong><a href="/article/rocky-mountains">Rocky Mountains</a> </strong>and along the Upper Arkansas River valley. It is bordered by <a href="/article/lake-county"><strong>Lake</strong></a> and <strong><a href="/article/park-county">Park</a> </strong>Counties to the north, Park and <strong><a href="/article/fremont-county">Fremont</a> </strong>Counties to the east, <strong><a href="/article/saguache-county">Saguache County</a> </strong>to the south, and <a href="/article/gunnison-county"><strong>Gunnison County</strong></a> to the west. Chaffee County’s unique shape is due to the western boundary following the <a href="/article/great-divide"><strong>Continental Divide</strong></a> and the eastern boundary generally following the <a href="/article/arkansas-river"><strong>Arkansas River</strong></a> and the <strong>Mosquito Range.</strong> The elevation in Chaffee county ranges from 7,000 feet to over 14,000 feet; the county is home to fifteen <a href="/article/fourteeners"><strong>Fourteeners</strong></a>—mountains rising over 14,000 feet—the most of any county in Colorado.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Chaffee County has a population of 17,809. <a href="/article/salida"><strong>Salida</strong></a> (population 5,236), along <strong>Highway 50 </strong>in the heart of the Arkansas Valley, is the county seat and largest town. <strong>Buena Vista</strong> (pop. 2,617) sits in central Chaffee County along <strong>Highway 24</strong> and is popular for whitewater rafting. The town of Poncha Springs lies in the southern part of the county at the junction of Highways 50 and <strong>285</strong>. Unincorporated towns include Granite, along Highway 24 in the north; Nathrop, along highway 24 between Buena Vista and Salida; and <strong>Monarch</strong> in the west along Highway 50.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Native Americans</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>From about the fifteenth through the nineteenth centuries, <a href="/search/google/ute"><strong>Ute</strong></a> people occupied present-day Chaffee County, primarily the Arkansas River valley. The Utes were hunter-gatherers who subsisted on various mountain roots and berries as well as on <a href="/article/mule-deer"><strong>deer</strong></a>, <a href="/article/rocky-mountain-elk"><strong>elk</strong></a>, <a href="/article/bison"><strong>bison</strong></a>, and small game. The Utes followed seasonal migration patterns, tracking game into the high country during the summer and wintering along the foothills and in river bottoms. The Utes obtained horses through their interaction with the Spanish to the south, and the animals allowed Utes to expand their hunting grounds. By the early nineteenth century, the <strong>Arapaho</strong> and <strong>Cheyenne</strong> occasionally wintered near the Arkansas River.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Explorers, Trappers, and Gold Seekers</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>The French first arrived in the Arkansas River valley in the eighteenth century. <a href="/article/nineteenth-century-trading-posts"><strong>Trading</strong></a> and trapping, particularly <a href="/article/beaver"><strong>beaver</strong></a><a href="/article/beaver"><strong>s</strong></a>, began in the early nineteenth century, but the valley was considered dangerous for Europeans on account of the presence of Ute and Arapaho peoples. Despite this, early Coloradans, including <a href="/article/kit-carson"><strong>Kit Carson</strong></a><strong>,</strong> trapped and wintered in the area.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>After the start of the <a href="/article/colorado-gold-rush"><strong>Colorado Gold Rush</strong></a> in 1859, thousands of prospectors traveled to Colorado with hopes of finding their fortunes in the Rocky Mountains. Cache Creek became the first notable white settlement in Chaffee County. It began in 1860 with a population of 300, and by the following year the town had 3,000 residents. This area included a three-mile stretch of river and an additional two miles on the Cache Creek. The Chalk Creek and Monarch areas quickly became other sites for gold seekers in the area. These sites produced high yields of gold during the Colorado Gold Rush period between 1859 and 1867.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>With the establishment of the <a href="/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a> in 1861, present-day Chaffee County became part of Lake County. It has since been split into a number of counties in the region.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Economic Development</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Following the end of <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/precious-metal-mining-colorado"><strong>gold panning</strong></a> and sluicing in the late 1860s, white homesteaders began to establish farms and ranches along the river. As more whites moved into the Arkansas River valley, relations with the Utes ranged from amicable to hostile. The Ute leader <a href="/article/ouray"><strong>Ouray</strong></a>, for example, was often friendly and even helped some homesteaders cross the river, but other Utes ordered whites off the land. The <strong><a href="/article/ute-treaty-1868">Treaty of 1868</a> </strong>relocated the Utes to a large reservation on Colorado’s <a href="/article/western-slope"><strong>Western Slope</strong></a>, allowing for the development of farms and ranches in the valley. Farmers grew hay, alfalfa, lettuce, oats, and vegetables. In the 1860s <a href="/article/otto-mears"><strong>Otto Mears</strong></a> built a toll road that ran over Poncha Pass to transport grains and produce to market. On Chalk Creek, Charles Nachtrieb built the area’s first water-powered grist mill.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Colorado became a state in 1876. On February 8, 1879, the state government divided Lake County into northern and southern parts. The southern portion was named Chaffee County after <strong>Jerome Chaffee</strong>, a businessman and politician who had invested in local mines. The town of Granite, in northern Chaffee County, was designated the county seat, but later that year residents voted to move the county seat to Buena Vista, a more centrally located city.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Buena Vista was settled in 1864 and incorporated in 1879. People were drawn to the area for mining but settled in Buena Vista due to the valley’s fertile land. To the south, Nathrop began as the ranch of Charles Nachtrieb in 1865. In 1880 the <strong>Denver &amp; Rio Grande Railroad</strong> (D&amp;RG) finished laying narrow-gauge tracks into Chaffee County, ending the line in the town of South Arkansas, later renamed Salida. Thereafter, Nathrop prospered as a railroad town between Buena Vista and Salida, developing a prosperous town center around the rail depot built just north of Nachtrieb’s ranch.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>While the D&amp;RG continued west to <strong>Gunnison</strong> over Marshall Pass, <strong>Jay Gould</strong>’s Denver, South Park &amp; Pacific Railroad (DSP&amp;P) also completed a line into Chaffee County, running to Buena Vista and later north to <strong>Leadville</strong>. A third line, the Colorado Midland Railroad, was the first standard-gauge railway to run into the Arkansas valley, arriving in Buena Vista in 1887. It also eventually reached Leadville. These three primary railroads served passengers and brought supplies and minerals to and from the towns and mines in Chaffee County.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Mining</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Throughout the late nineteenth century, numerous mines operated throughout Chaffee County, producing gold, silver, iron ore, copper, and zinc. The Mary Murphy Mine in the Chalk Creek District, operated by the Mary Murphy Gold and Silver Mining Company of St. Louis, was the most famous. It held deposits of gold, silver, zinc, and lead, and by 1881 it was producing thirty tons of ore per day. Located on Murphy Mountain, the mine was two miles from the D&amp;RG railroad and two miles from the town of <a href="/article/st-elmo"><strong>St. Elmo</strong></a>. Meanwhile, the Colorado Coal and Iron Company (CC&amp;I) ran the highly productive Calumet Iron Mine north of Salida. Mining in Chaffee County peaked between 1885 and 1888, when production of gold, silver, and lead totaled more than $1 million each year.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The 1893 repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, which guaranteed a market for silver, sent the Colorado economy into a downward spiral. The price of silver dropped from around $1 per ounce in 1890–91 to around $0.60 by the turn of the century. While the county’s gold and silver mines were able to continue production throughout the 1890s and into the twentieth century, the Panic of 1893, as it was known, caused a shift toward the production of more industrial materials such as coal and iron. Smelting also became an important part of Chaffee County’s economy.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1900 independent smelters operated in Romley, which supported the Mary Murphy and Monarch Mines. Most other smelters were run by the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) from Denver, which merged with Guggenheim, an international smelting company, in 1901. Following World War I, the smelter in Smeltertown, northwest of Salida, shut down due to a reduction in mining.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>On January 1, 1916, W. H. Boyer, an African American miner, staked a manganese ore claim in Wells Gulch. This twenty-acre deposit produced high-grade manganese, which was shipped to the steelworks in Pueblo to be made into steel for military use during World War I. In August 1916 William Hillzinger and Charles Fulford bought the mine, where they discovered a tungsten deposit. The auxiliary find set off a rush to the area, with numerous people staking out claims on the large tungsten deposit.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Granite and ore mining continued into the 1920s. In 1928 the contract for granite for the Denver City and County Building was awarded to Mt. Princeton Granite, quarried at Mt. Princeton, east of Nathrop. The Salida Granite Company had its most productive era in the 1920s, and the pink granite of this quarry, located in the Turret District, north of Salida, was used in the construction of the Mormon Battalion Monument in New Mexico. The Great Depression of the 1930s slowed much of this industry, as the economic stagnation halted demand for construction materials.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Postmining Economy</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>In the early and middle twentieth century, mining companies consolidated throughout Chaffee County, decreasing the number of mines and jobs. In 1930 the Monarch Mine was bought by <a href="/article/colorado-fuel-iron"><strong>Colorado Fuel and Iron Company</strong></a> (CF&amp;I)—formerly Colorado Coal &amp; Iron—and it became the largest mining operation in Colorado and one of the few mines left in the county.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Over the course of the twentieth century the base of the Chaffee County economy gradually shifted from mining to a combination of new industries, including corrections and tourism. In 1925 Horace Frantzhurst built the <strong>Frantzhurst Fish Hatchery</strong> just north of Salida. The hatchery raised trout and operated from 1925 to 1953. In 1956 the <a href="/article/colorado-parks-and-wildlife"><strong>Colorado Division of Wildlife</strong></a> bought the hatchery and renamed it the Mt. Shavano Fish Hatchery and Rearing Unit. This hatchery helped to supply Colorado’s streams and rivers with fish where they had dwindled due to overfishing beginning at the turn of the century.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1928 Chaffee County voted to move the county seat for a second time, from Buena Vista to Salida, which was then the most populous city. In 1932 construction of the new Chaffee County Courthouse in Salida was completed. It was designed by Walter DeMordaunt and is one of only a few Colorado courthouses built in the art deco style. It was listed on the State Register of Historic Properties in 1996.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1939 a federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) project built the <strong>Salida Hot Springs </strong>complex. <strong>Monarch Ski</strong> <strong>Area</strong> represents another WPA project in the county. The ski area officially opened in 1939, though skiers had been using the mountain since 1914. The WPA built a rope tow on a slope called Gunbarrel, which was used to ferry skiers to the top of the slope. The WPA then gave the site to the city of Salida.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In the 1950s the city sold Monarch for $100 to a private owner. This led to increased development. Electricity, water, and indoor plumbing were added to the lodge. The owners cut additional slopes and added a T-bar tow system. The 1960s brought a chairlift and additional changes. In 1968 Elmo Bevington purchased Monarch, and additional lifts, lodges, and expansions extended into the 2000s. In 2002 a group led by Bob Nicolls purchased the ski area and continued its development. Today, Monarch is worth over $7 million.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The corrections business had been a consistent employer in Chaffee County since 1891, when the first state reformatory was built near Buena Vista. The facility began as a reformatory for juvenile offenders and housed between 94 and 153 juvenile inmates in its first two decades of operation. A medical unit was added in 1920, and in 1947 an academic program was established for the juvenile inmates. In 1978 the reformatory became an adult, medium-custody facility: the Buena Vista Correctional Facility. In 1991 a boot camp was added. It was then officially named the Buena Vista Correctional Complex due to its capacity to hold both medium- and minimum-custody inmates. The site now has a capacity for up to 1,259 inmates and is one of the largest correctional facilities in the state.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Today</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Today, Chaffee County is a destination for outdoor adventure seekers. It hosts winter sports at the <strong>Monarch Ski Area</strong>. Each summer, hundreds of mountaineers arrive to climb the county’s fifteen Fourteeners, including Mts. Columbia, Harvard, Oxford, Princeton, and Yale, members of the famous <strong>Collegiate Peaks</strong>. Other activities include biking, river rafting on the Arkansas, and visits to local hot springs. A popular site for rafting, hiking, and fishing is the newly designated <a href="/article/browns-canyon-national-monument"><strong>Browns Canyon National Monument</strong></a>, located between Salida and Buena Vista. President Barack Obama established the monument in 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The largest employers in Chaffee County today are the tourism and recreation industry and federal and state agencies, including the Buena Vista Correctional Complex. While they were essential to the county’s early development, ranching and agriculture currently represent a very small portion of the county’s economy. Due to a relatively mild climate and affordable housing Chaffee County has recently attracted many retirees to its borders. Chaffee County represents a common shift in many local Colorado economies from mining to recreation and tourism.</p>&#13; </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/chaffee-county" hreflang="en">chaffee county</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/lake-county" hreflang="en">Lake County</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/mining" hreflang="en">mining</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/ski-industry" hreflang="en">ski industry</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/fourteeners" hreflang="en">fourteeners</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>“<a href="https://www.chaffeecountytimes.com/special_sections/summer_recreation/ers/article_c269f81a-23ac-11e5-82dc-7f47b5d795f2.html">14ers</a>,” <em>Chaffee County Times</em>, July 26, 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Gerald Berry, “Monarch History,” Monarch Ski Area, n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce, “<a href="https://buenavistacolorado.org/the-chamber/">Buena Vista Correctional Complex</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce, “<a href="https://buenavistacolorado.org/history/">Buena Vista History, Colorado Area History</a>,” June 5, 2013.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Chaffee County Administration, “<a href="http://www.chaffeecounty.org/About-Chaffee-County">About Chaffee County</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Chaffee County Visitors Bureau, “<a href="https://www.colorfulcolorado.com/">Buena Vista &amp; Salida: Hot Springs and Cool Adventures</a>,” <em>Buena Vista &amp; Salida Colorado</em>, n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Dick Dickson, “<a href="https://www.cozine.com:8443/1998-february/quarry-days-in-the-ute-trail-area">Quarry Days in the Ute Trail Area</a>,” <em>Colorado Central Magazine</em>, February 1, 1998.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Charles W. Henderson, “Mining in Colorado: A History of Discovery, Development and Production,” US Geological Survey (Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1926).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Earle Kittleman, “<a href="http://salida.com/history/index.htm">Chaffee County Colorado 125th Anniversary Timeline</a>,” Salida, Colorado: Gem of the Rockies, 2014.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Salida Chamber of Commerce, “Welcome to: ‘<a href="http://www.salida.com/salida-colorado-about.html">Colorado’s Art of Adventure</a>,’” 2016.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>June Shaputis and Suzanne Kelly eds., <em>A History of Chaffee County </em>(Marceline, Missouri: Walsworth Publishing Company, 1982).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Virginia McConnell Simmons, <em>The Ute Indians of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico </em>(Boulder: University Press of Colorado 2000).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>State Demography Offices, “<a href="https://www.gigshowcase.com/EndUserFiles/31046.pdf">Region 13: Chaffee, Custer, Fremont &amp; Lake Counties</a>,” Department of Local Affairs, October 2010.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Forest Service, “<a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/visit/browns-canyon-national-monument">Browns Canyon National Monument</a>,” February 19, 2015.</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p><a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/files/OAHP/Programs/SHF_Survey_ChaffeeCounty2013.pdf">Chaffee County Historical Resources Survey</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p>Colorado.com Staff, "<a href="https://www.colorado.com/articles/colorado-scenic-byway-collegiate-peaks">Colorado Scenic Byway: Collegiate Peaks</a>," Colorado Tourism, 2017.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>George G. Everett, <em>Under the Angel of Shavano</em> (Denver: Golden Bell Press, 1963).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Jim and Louis Rowe, <em>Portal Into the Past</em> (Granite, CO: Clear Creek Canyon Historical Society of Chaffee County, 1976).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Ruby G. Williamson, <em>Down With Your Dust: A Chronicle of the Upper Arkansas Valley, Colorado, 1860–1893 </em>(Gunnison, CO: B&amp;B Printer, 1979).</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Mon, 30 Jan 2017 23:45:48 +0000 yongli 2240 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Park County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/park-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Park County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2232--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2232.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/park-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Park_County_media1_0.png?itok=MurL9pMw" width="1024" height="741" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/park-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Park County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Park County encompasses South Park, a broad intermountain basin that holds the headwaters of the South Platte River.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-01-30T11:27:45-07:00" title="Monday, January 30, 2017 - 11:27" class="datetime">Mon, 01/30/2017 - 11:27</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/park-county" data-a2a-title="Park County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Fpark-county&amp;title=Park%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Park County covers 2,211 square miles of the <a href="/article/rocky-mountains"><strong>Rocky Mountains</strong></a> in central Colorado. Park County’s elevation rages from 7,000 to 14,000 feet. The county’s namesake and dominant geographic feature is South Park, a large, high-altitude <strong>basin</strong> containing the headwaters of the <a href="/article/south-platte-river"><strong>South Platte River</strong></a>. Park County is bordered by <a href="/article/clear-creek-county"><strong>Clear Creek County</strong></a> to the north, <a href="/article/jefferson-county"><strong>Jefferson</strong> </a>and <a href="/article/teller-county"><strong>Teller</strong></a> Counties to the east, <a href="/article/fremont-county"><strong>Fremont County</strong></a> to the south, <a href="/article/chaffee-county"><strong>Chaffee</strong></a> and <a href="/article/lake-county"><strong>Lake</strong></a> Counties to the west, and <a href="/article/summit-county"><strong>Summit</strong> <strong>County</strong></a> to the northwest.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Park County has a population of 16,510 and features just two incorporated towns. <strong>Alma</strong>, the highest incorporated town in the United States, lies along State Highway 9 in northwestern Park County, while <a href="/article/fairplay"><strong>Fairplay</strong></a>, the county seat, lies just to the southeast at the junction of Highway 9 and <strong>US Highway 285</strong>. Also located off Route 285 in northern Park County are the unincorporated communities of <strong>Bailey</strong>, Shawnee,<strong> Grant</strong>, Jefferson, and <strong>Como</strong>. Nearly 65 percent of Park County’s population lives in subdivisions around Bailey. <strong>Lake George</strong>, another unincorporated community, lies along US Highway 24 in the hills west of South Park, while <strong>Hartsel</strong> is in the center of the basin. The small community of <strong>Guffey</strong> lies just off Highway 9 in southern Park County. The county is also home to ghost towns, including <strong>Antero Junction</strong>, Garo, and <strong>Tarryall</strong>.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Native Inhabitants</h2>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/clovis"><strong>Clovis</strong></a> points found in the South Park Basin provide the earliest evidence of human habitation in the Park County area, dating to around 12,000 years ago. The climate during this time was colder and wetter than the present and supported a larger amount of flora and fauna than currently live in the area. Early occupants would have been hunter-gatherers who hunted mammoth and <a href="/article/bison"><strong>bison</strong></a>. Evidence for subsequent occupations is provided in regionally and culturally specific projectile points found throughout the area, which date until about 5,700 years ago.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The earliest modern Indigenous group, the Nuche (<a href="/search/google/ute"><strong>Ute)</strong></a>, began to occupy the area in the fourteenth or fifteenth century. A Ute band known as the Tabeguache—the “people of Sun Mountain”—seasonally inhabited the area surrounding the Mosquito Range on the western side of South Park. This area proved to be a fertile hunting ground and held rich mineral resources, including chert, a stone used for arrowheads and points, and mica, which was used for signal mirrors. <a href="/article/colorado%E2%80%99s-great-plains"><strong>Plains</strong></a> peoples—including the <strong>Arapaho</strong>, <strong>Comanche</strong>, <strong>Kiowa</strong>, and <strong>Cheyenne</strong>—also ranged into the basin to hunt.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>European Arrival</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Around 1630, the Spanish became the first Europeans to enter the area and the first to contact the Utes in South Park. The Utes acquired horses from the Spanish, and the animals became an important status symbol in Ute culture and allowed the Nuche to expand their hunting territory. The Spanish called the basin Valle Salido, or Salt Valley, due to the salt springs in the area.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>French<strong> <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/fur-trade-colorado">fur trappers</a></strong> began arriving in the area in the early 1700s. They called the area Bayou Salade, “salt marshes.” American trappers arrived a century later. Trapping peaked in Park County between the 1820s and 1840s. <a href="/article/kit-carson"><strong>Kit Carson</strong></a> was among the trappers who worked in the area. The first mention of gold in Park County supposedly came during this time as well. The explorer <a href="/article/zebulon-montgomery-pike"><strong>Zebulon Pike</strong></a> reported that <a href="/article/beaver"><strong>beaver</strong></a> trapper Jim Pursley told him of a gold find near the headwaters of the South Platte in 1806, though neither man pursued it.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Mining and Ranching</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>The <a href="/article/colorado-gold-rush"><strong>Colorado Gold Rush</strong></a> brought the first permanent white settlements to the Park County area in 1858–59. The discovery of gold along Tarryall Creek northwest of Como in 1859, along with subsequent discoveries in the area, enticed some 10,000 people to present-day Park County, including prospectors, merchants, laborers, and a host of other people hoping to cash in on <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/precious-metal-mining-colorado"><strong>mining</strong></a> and related activities. Miners and mining companies established camps throughout South Park, including the Mosquito Mining District near present-day Alma, and the present town of Fairplay on Beaver Creek. Park County was one of the original seventeen counties established with the <a href="/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a> in 1861. Initially, the county seat was the mining camp of Tarryall, but two months later it was moved to Buckskin Joe, another mining community named for its founder, <strong>Joseph Higginbotham</strong>. Finally, in 1867 the county seat was again moved to Fairplay, where it remains today.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Gold, and later silver, made Park County prosperous. Between 1859 and 1867, miners produced nearly $2.5 million in gold, the majority of which was placer gold, or surface gold that was accessible in streambeds. After 1867, those deposits were panned out, and mining companies began using more expensive, machine-driven techniques such as hydraulic mining and hard-rock drilling to extract gold from mountainsides and underground veins. This ended the era of the individual prospector, since only capital-rich companies could afford the machinery and infrastructure necessary for lode mining (hard rock mining). Using these new techniques, mining companies in Park County extracted more than $850,000 of additional gold between 1868 and 1880.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Silver, copper, and lead production began in the early 1870s and totaled about $3.7 million by 1880. In 1871 silver was discovered on Mt. Bross, and the Moose Mine became a highly lucrative enterprise. By 1881, it had churned out nearly $3 million in silver. Smelters were built in the town of Alma, near Mt. Bross, to extract silver from ore. Over time, other minerals—including zinc, molybdenum, and <a href="/article/uranium-mining"><strong>uranium</strong></a>—along with oil, gas, and some coal were all mined in the region. Mining began to decline drastically in the region by the early 1890s.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Farming was difficult in Park County due to the high altitude, short growing season, and harsh winters, so ranching became the dominant form of food production in the area. Samuel Hartsel, Adolphe and Marie Guiraud, and Charles Hall were among the first ranchers to move into South Park in the early 1860s. Ranchers primarily raised cattle and sheep, as they were generally hearty enough to survive the long winters. One agricultural product that became popular in Park County was native hay, which became known around the world for its rich nutrient content—some European royalty ordered Park County hay for their horses.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Ranchers capitalized on the region in other ways as well. Hartsel built baths in the mid-1870s around the hot springs on his land and offered accommodations to travelers. He first housed tourists in his home and later built a small hotel close to the baths. Hall, meanwhile, founded the <a href="/article/colorado-salt-works"><strong>Colorado Salt Works</strong></a> and sold the important preservative to other residents in the area. Salt proved a lucrative product for Hall until the railroad arrived in Park County and decreased the need for long-term food preservation.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The growth of population and industry in South Park led to tension and conflict with the Tabeguache Utes, who used the area as a summer hunting ground. In 1859, for example, Tabeguaches killed a handful of prospectors near Tarryall, and several other white men were killed in South Park. In the 1860s the area was also the site of clashes between the Utes and the Arapaho. As white occupation of the area increased, the US government brokered treaties to remove South Park’s indigenous people. The <a href="/article/treaty-fort-wise"><strong>Treaty of Fort Wise</strong></a> in 1861 removed the Arapaho and their plains neighbors, the Cheyenne, to eastern Colorado. In 1864 Congress approved a treaty with the Utes that granted the United States rights to all land in Colorado east of the Continental Divide (and Middle Park). To hasten the Indians’ removal, the government encouraged the hunting of bison. In 1897 the last wild bison in Colorado were killed in South Park.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Railroads and Growth</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>The growth of Park County brought the railroad. The <strong>Denver South Park &amp; Pacific (DSP&amp;P)</strong> first reached the town of Como in 1879. This narrow-gauge line was the first to reach central Colorado’s mining districts, running from Denver over the Platte Canyon into South Park, and eventually into <a href="/article/leadville"><strong>Leadville</strong></a>. The railroad meant ease of travel for residents, businesspeople, and visitors and brought the regular arrival of newspapers and mail. Telegraph lines also came into South Park alongside the railroad tracks, providing a faster communication link to Denver and the rest of the nation. The DSP&amp;P carried building materials and other goods into South Park and freighted ore, cattle, and hay back to Denver. The Como Depot was the primary stop in Park County. In 1880 another depot opened in the town of Jefferson. The line expanded again the following year, adding stops in Fairplay and Garo. It reached Alma in 1882 and continued into Summit County.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The arrival of the DSP&amp;P encouraged the development and expansion of South Park’s towns. Rancher William Head, for instance, platted and expanded Jefferson in 1883, and the town became an important supply town for the county. The town of Garo also expanded at this time, becoming an important depot for the cattle and hay industry. In 1881 a hotel opened in Como, and in 1885 the <strong>Union Pacific Railroad</strong> bought and expanded the business and named it the Pacific Hotel. It primarily served rail passengers and crew. In 1896 the Pacific burned down and was replaced by the Como Hotel. Throughout this period, Como prospered as a railroad town for the DSP&amp;P, as workers moved there with their families.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1887 the standard-gauge <strong>Colorado Midland Railroad</strong> (CM) arrived in Park County. This line ran west from <a href="/article/colorado-springs"><strong>Colorado Springs</strong></a>, through South Park, and on to <a href="/article/grand-junction"><strong>Grand Junction</strong></a>. It brought building materials, processed foods, furnishings, and other goods to South Park and carried cattle and hay back to the Front Range. The ranching town of Hartsel became the primary CM stop in Park County.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>George Frost completed construction on the Lake George Dam in 1890, which ran across the South Platte River at Eleven Mile Canyon. On the reservoir, named Lake George, Frost began an ice production facility that supplied the Colorado Midland Railroad with ice for produce railway cars.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The increase in ranching and population created the need for water and land management programs in South Park. Following a series of dry summers, the state created Water District 23 in 1888. Meanwhile, the 1891 <strong>Forest Reserve Act</strong> led to the establishment of the Pikes Peak Timberland Reserve, the Plum Creek Timberland Reserve, and the South Platte Reserve in 1892. The reserves protected forests from the timber industry, which in turn helped protect the land from <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/flooding-colorado"><strong>flooding</strong></a> and erosion. In 1907 President Theodore Roosevelt’s administration consolidated the three reserves into the <a href="/article/us-forest-service-colorado"><strong>Pike National Forest</strong></a>.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Decline</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>The <a href="/article/panic-1893"><strong>Panic of 1893</strong></a> severely affected Park County’s silver mines. Silver production declined sharply as prices fell, dropping from 62,350 ounces in 1893 to 43,817 ounces in 1894. Mines closed, jobs evaporated, and rail traffic decreased due to lack of freight. County gold and silver mines rebounded in the early twentieth century, however, hitting a peak production value of more than $600,000 in 1909.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>That year, a fire destroyed the DSP&amp;P offices in Como. Rather than rebuild, the railroad moved those offices to Denver, leading to a severe decline in the town’s population from which it never recovered. The following year, the railroad also decreased the number of trains and routes, again causing a decline in jobs and population. In 1926, the railroad again reduced routes, which left the town nearly abandoned.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1905 a fire tore through the town of Alma and destroyed many businesses. Other fires in 1915 and 1917 burned the Alma hotel, Catholic church, town offices, and much of the business district. Alma recovered and was rebuilt. During the Great Depression, a small gold rush drew many unemployed city workers to Alma and other mountain mining areas to search for their fortune. During this boom, two more fires, one in 1935 and another in 1937, destroyed most of the business district. While Alma was rebuilt again, it did not recover financially, as mining went into decline after the 1930s.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The Colorado Midland Railroad ceased operation in 1918, bringing an end to the Lake George ice works. In 1923 a flood destroyed the dam and the lake. The discontinuation of the CM line led to a major decline in population and commerce in Hartsel. In 1937, the Colorado &amp; Southern (formerly DSP&amp;P) discontinued service, bringing an end to all rail service in South Park.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Tourism and Culture</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>After the decline of mining in Park County, tourism and ranching were the major industries. The Hartsel Ranch’s hot springs was a tourist destination until 1972, when the hotel burned down and the hot springs closed. In 1938 Lake George Dam was rebuilt and became a tourist destination and resort community.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1948 the first World Championship Pack Burro Race was held in Fairplay. As a part of <strong>Burro Days</strong>, an annual festival held the last weekend of July, the race sends runners twenty-nine miles to the top of Mosquito Pass and back with a burro. The <strong>South Park City Museum</strong> opened in 1959 and manages forty-two historic buildings, seven on their original site and the rest relocated from Park County’s early towns. Visitors can explore buildings furnished c. 1880, as well as other exhibits showcasing the area’s mining history. In the 1990s the South Park area inspired Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s popular animated television series <strong><em>South Park</em></strong><em>.</em></p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1998 the Park County Land and Water Trust was established to help protect and preserve the county’s water resources and their associated land. This trust was created in reaction to Aurora’s proposed Conjunctive Use Project, which planned to divert groundwater from the South Park Aquifer to Strontia Springs Reservoir for use by Aurora residents. The Park County Land and Water Trust fought and defeated this proposal, preserving the county’s water resources for residents. Funded by a 1 percent county sales tax, the organization continues to work for Park County water rights through the creation of educational signage and conservation easements on some of the county’s most scenic properties.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Today</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Today, tourism and outdoor recreation form the backbone of the Park County economy. The entertainment and recreation sector employs 334 people, second only to the 400 jobs in public administration. The county is home to many federal recreation areas, including Pike National Forest, the <strong>Mt. Evans</strong>, Lost Park, and Buffalo Peaks Wilderness Areas; Eleven Mile Canyon Recreation Area; and part of the <strong>Colorado Trail</strong>, among others. Bristlecone Pine Scenic Area allows hikers or skiers to see 2,000-year-old bristlecone pine trees that have been warped by the wind. Pike National Forest is also home to many popular fishing and camping areas.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Popular outdoor activities for tourists include hiking, mountain biking,<a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/snow"><strong> snow</strong></a> shoeing, ice climbing, cross-country skiing, and mountaineering. Park County is home to four <a href="/article/fourteeners"><strong>Fourteeners</strong></a>, mountains that rise over 14,000 feet: <strong>Mt. Lincoln</strong>, <strong>Mt. Democrat</strong>, <strong>Mt. Cameron</strong>, and <strong>Mt. Bross</strong>—all of which are accessible via a single trailhead at Kite Lake—and <strong>Mt. Sherman</strong>, accessible via County Road 18. Park County also features a variety of wildlife, including <a href="/article/rocky-mountain-elk"><strong>elk</strong></a>, <a href="/article/bighorn-sheep"><strong>bighorn sheep</strong></a>, <strong>bobcats,</strong> and other animals.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Farming and ranching also continue in Park County today. As of 2012, county ranchers raise a combined herd of 6,565 cattle and calves, and hay remains the top crop.</p>&#13; </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/park-county" hreflang="en">Park County</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/south-park" hreflang="en">South Park</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/central-colorado-mining-district" hreflang="en">central Colorado mining district</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Carl Abbot, Stephen J. Leonard, and Thomas J. Noel, <em>Colorado: A History of the Centennial State</em>, 4th ed. (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2005).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Colorado.com Staff Writer, “<a href="https://www.colorado.com/articles/real-south-park-colorado">The Real South Park Colorado</a>,” <em>Colorado.com</em>, May 9, 2016.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Charles W. Henderson, “Mining in Colorado: A History of Discovery, Development and Production,” US Geological Survey (Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1926).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Steve Lipsher, “<a href="https://extras.denverpost.com/news/water/water14.htm">Residents Want to Draw Line in the Dust</a>,” <em>The Denver Post</em>, October 4, 1998.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Park County, “<a href="https://www.parkco.us/73/Assessor/Pdf/2012ParkCountyProfile.pdf">2012 Park County Profile</a>,” 2012.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Park County, “<a href="http://co-parkcounty.civicplus.com/31/About-Us">About Us</a>,” updated 2016.</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="http://www.parkcountytrust.org/">Park County Land &amp; Water Trust</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p>Virginia McConnell Simmons, <em>The Ute Indians of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico </em>(Boulder: University Press of Colorado 2000).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>South Park National Heritage Area, “<a href="https://southparkheritage.org/heritage-history/">History and Heritage</a>,” updated 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Census Bureau, “<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/08093,00">State and County Quick Facts: Park County, Colorado</a>,” updated 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Forest Service, “<a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/psicc/about-forest/about-area">Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Marion Ritchey Vance and John A. Vance, “<a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/psicc/about-forest/districts/?cid=stelprdb5087145">Pike Peak History: The Story Behind the Pike National Forest</a>,” US Forest Service, n.d.</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p>Linda Bjorklund, <em>A Brief History of Fairplay </em>(Charleston, SC: History Press, 2013).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Colorado.com Staff, "<a href="https://www.colorado.com/articles/colorado-scenic-byway-mount-blue-sky">Colorado Scenic Byway: Mount Evans</a>," Colorado Tourism, 2017.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Colorado.com Staff, "<a href="https://www.colorado.com/articles/real-south-park-colorado">The Real South Park Colorado</a>," Colorado Tourism, 2017.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Lee Heideman, <em>Wagons West: Transportation, Entertainment and Industry, More on Sphinx Park, Buffalo, Pine Grove, Bailey and Beyond </em>(Conifer, CO: Magic Wordweaver Press, 2005).</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="http://www.parkco.us/81/Heritage-Tourism-and-Community-Developme">Park County Department of Heritage, Tourism, &amp; Community Development</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p>Park County Historical Society, <em>Historic Stories and Legends of Park County</em>, (Bailey, CO: Park County Historical Society, 1988).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Park County Local History Archives, <em>Park County: Park County Local History Archives</em> (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2015).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Virginia McConnell Simmons, <em>Bayou Salado: The Story of South Park </em>(Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2002).</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://southparkheritage.org/">South Park National Heritage Area</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2012/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/">2012 Census of Agriculture County Profile: Park County Colorado</a>,” National Agricultural Statistics Service.</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Mon, 30 Jan 2017 18:27:45 +0000 yongli 2233 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Clear Creek County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/clear-creek-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Clear Creek County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2227--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2227.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/idaho-springs"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Clear-Creek-Media-3_0.jpg?itok=z3GLGR-N" width="1000" height="801" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/idaho-springs" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Idaho Springs</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>View of downtown Idaho Springs, seat of Clear Creek County, c. 1900-10. The town was formed in 1859, at the height of the Colorado Gold Rush.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2225--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2225.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/clear-creek-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Clear-Creek-Media-1_0.jpg?itok=Bd2qESNQ" width="1000" height="724" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/clear-creek-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Clear Creek County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Clear Creek County, one of the original seventeen counties of the Colorado Territory, hosted major gold and silver booms from 1859-93.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> <button class="carousel-control-prev" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="prev"> <span class="carousel-control-prev-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Previous</span> </button> <button class="carousel-control-next" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="next"> <span class="carousel-control-next-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Next</span> </button> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-01-30T11:05:17-07:00" title="Monday, January 30, 2017 - 11:05" class="datetime">Mon, 01/30/2017 - 11:05</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/clear-creek-county" data-a2a-title="Clear Creek County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Fclear-creek-county&amp;title=Clear%20Creek%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Clear Creek County lies thirty miles west of <a href="/article/denver"><strong>Denver</strong></a> on the eastern slope of the <a href="/article/rocky-mountains"><strong>Rocky Mountains</strong></a>. One of Colorado’s seventeen original counties, it covers 396 square miles and spans <a href="/article/clear-creek-canyon-0"><strong>Clear Creek Canyon</strong></a>, from which it takes its name. Clear Creek County has a population of 9,303 and is bordered by <a href="/article/gilpin-county"><strong>Gilpin County</strong></a> to the northeast, <a href="/article/jefferson-county"><strong>Jefferson County</strong></a> to the east, <a href="/article/park-county"><strong>Park County</strong></a> to the south, <a href="/article/summit-county"><strong>Summit County</strong></a> to the southwest, and <a href="/article/grand-county"><strong>Grand County</strong></a> to the northwest.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The county lies along the <a href="/article/interstate-70"><strong>Interstate 70</strong></a> corridor<strong>,</strong> which runs west from Denver through <strong>Idaho Springs</strong>, the largest city; <a href="/article/georgetown%E2%80%93silver-plume-historic-district"><strong>Georgetown</strong></a>, the county seat; and <a href="/article/georgetown%E2%80%93silver-plume-historic-district"><strong>Silver Plume</strong></a>, another historic mining town. One of the first major strikes of the <a href="/article/colorado-gold-rush"><strong>Colorado Gold Rush</strong></a> occurred in the mountains near Idaho Springs. Today, the county is home to the scenic <a href="/article/georgetown-loop"><strong>Georgetown Loop</strong></a> Railroad and the popular <strong>Loveland Ski Area</strong>, drawing tourists for a variety of outdoor activities.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Indigenous People</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>The Nuche, or <a href="/search/google/ute"><strong>Ute</strong></a> people, occupied the Colorado Rocky Mountains as early as the fifteenth century, reaching the Central Rockies by about the seventeenth century. The Utes lived as hunter-gatherers, following game such as <a href="/article/mule-deer"><strong>deer</strong></a>, <a href="/article/rocky-mountain-elk"><strong>elk</strong>,</a> and <strong>buffalo</strong> into the high country during the summer and camping at the base of the foothills or other low points during the winter. They gathered berries, nuts, and various mountain roots, and built temporary or mobile dwellings such as <a href="/article/wickiups-and-other-wooden-features"><strong>wickiups</strong></a> and <a href="/article/tipi-0"><strong>tipis</strong></a>.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>During the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth, <strong>Arapaho</strong> and <strong>Cheyenne</strong> people migrated from the upper Midwest to Colorado’s <a href="/article/front-range"><strong>Front Range</strong></a>. They were also a mobile culture, living chiefly off the great buffalo herds on the plains but also ranging into the mountains to hunt and forage. This resulted in conflicts with the Ute, who resisted any encroachment on their hunting grounds.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Mining</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Both Spain and France claimed the Clear Creek County area before the United States acquired it as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The area remained under the dominion of the Ute and Arapaho until it attracted the federal government’s attention during the Colorado Gold Rush of 1858–59. In 1857 an economic depression in the east and Colonel Edwin V. Sumner’s victory over a group of Cheyenne in present-day Kansas motivated gold seekers to go to the Rocky Mountains. A bona fide rush began after <strong>William Green Russell</strong> found gold near present-day Denver in 1858.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In January 1859, <strong>George Jackson</strong> discovered <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/precious-metal-mining-colorado"><strong>placer gold</strong></a> in the gravel along the north fork of Clear Creek, south of modern Idaho Springs. Jackson chose not to publicize his find until he could return with help. In April he brought twenty-two men from the Chicago Mining Company to the area, and they quickly found a fortune in gold. In June of 1859, with miners flooding the area, a town was established. It was first called Jackson’s Diggings, then Sacramento City, then Idahoe, and finally Idaho Springs. The remainder of 1859 saw the arrival of many others looking for gold.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Miners and entrepreneurs moved west along Clear Creek, creating mining districts in areas that would become the cities of Dumont, <strong>Empire</strong>, and Georgetown. Colonel John Dumont founded Mill City, later named Dumont, and ran three prominent mills in that area. Mill City also functioned as an important stage coach stop before the arrival of the railroad, offering travelers a hotel and the first saloon in Colorado west of Denver. Empire sprang up after Henry DeWitt Clinton Cowles and Edgar F. Freeman found gold in the area in 1860. Georgetown began when the Griffith brothers discovered gold at the base of a nearby mountain, creating the Griffith Mining District.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1861 Congress created the <a href="/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a>. Later that year, the territorial legislature created Clear Creek County, one of its original seventeen counties. Idaho Springs was named the first county seat. That year the US government brokered the <a href="/article/treaty-fort-wise"><strong>Treaty of Fort Wise</strong></a>, which set up a reservation for the Cheyenne and Arapaho in southeastern Colorado in exchange for <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/indian-annuities"><strong>annuities</strong></a>. In 1864 Congress approved the Conejos Treaty with the Utes, which gave the United States title to all Ute land east of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/great-divide"><strong>Continental Divide</strong></a>.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Miners in Clear Creek County extracted some $2 million worth of gold between 1859 and 1865. In 1867 the Colorado legislature moved the county seat to Georgetown, as it quickly grew larger than Idaho Springs. By 1866 gold deposits began to decline, but the Clear Creek area continued growing because of increased silver mining. A rich silver ore deposit was discovered near Georgetown, and a smelter was built in the town to economically extract the silver from the ore. Other silver strikes in the early 1870s led to the creation of the Burleigh, Marshall and Lebanon mines, as well as the town of Silver Plume. Between 1866 and 1875, the county’s silver mines yielded more than $8 million worth of ore, and by the 1880s the county population peaked at 7,800.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Prosperity brought by silver mining only lasted until the <a href="/article/panic-1893"><strong>Panic of 1893</strong></a>. Although Clear Creek County mines continued to produce silver, the steady drop in the metal’s value from nearly $1 per ounce in 1891 to about $0.58 by 1898 caused a major economic decline in Colorado’s mining communities. The decreased demand for silver created a resurgence in gold mining, which expanded production from the mid-1890s until the early twentieth century. The county averaged about $600,000 in gold production each year between 1895 and 1901, and in 1902 it had one of its richest gold-mining years ever, extracting a total of $930,000.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>With the creation and expansion of mining districts came the development of two satellite industries: logging and ranching. Logging provided timber for mine shafts and early buildings, while ranchers profited by raising stock to feed hungry miners.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Rails and Roads</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>From its founding, Clear Creek County depended on roads and railroads to get ore to market and bring supplies to the mining towns through Clear Creek Canyon. In the 1860s, miners used dirt roads to cart their supplies and products to and from town, but these quickly proved insufficient. Some companies built toll roads to the mining districts, which eased the transportation of supplies and ore.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The arrival of the railroad greatly reduced the cost of transportation and made it easier for Clear Creek County residents to get the supplies they needed. In 1877 the <strong>Colorado Central Railroad</strong> built a line from <a href="/article/golden-0"><strong>Golden</strong></a> into Clear Creek, through Idaho Springs, and on to Georgetown. In 1879 financial problems caused the Colorado Central Railroad to be leased to the Union Pacific.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The Union Pacific built a new line through Clear Creek Canyon in 1884 called the Georgetown, Breckenridge &amp; Leadville. <strong>Jay Gould</strong>, head of the Union Pacific, wanted to build the first tracks into Leadville through Clear Creek Canyon, but the <strong>Denver &amp; Rio Grande</strong> completed its line to Leadville first. Having lost the race to Leadville and faced with the difficult and expensive task of building tracks into the central Rocky Mountains, the Union Pacific chose to end its line just past Silver Plume. There, the line was in an excellent position to take advantage of the growing market for railroad tourism. It became the famous Georgetown Loop, a popular tourist line that allowed visitors in Denver to experience the Rocky Mountains on a convenient day trip.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Twentieth Century</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Gold and silver mining in Clear Creek County began to decline at the turn of the century. Following the drop in silver prices during the <a href="/article/panic-1893"><strong>Panic of 1893</strong></a>, gold mining had a small boom, but it dwindled by the early 1920s. Zinc mining became important in the Georgetown–Silver Plume area during both world wars, and in 1976 the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/henderson-molybdenum-mine"><strong>Henderson Mine</strong></a> began extracting molybdenum, a steel hardener. Although some other mines remain, most are currently inactive.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The increase in automobile use during the twentieth century and the decrease in freight led to a decline in rail service across Colorado. The last passenger train to Clear Creek ran in 1938, and even the once-popular Georgetown Loop was abandoned in 1939. Most tracks were dismantled after the end of service, and many individuals and families left during the difficult years of the Great Depression. The population hit a low during the depression, with only 2,100 people left in the county.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Tourism and Recreation</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Although <strong>tourism</strong> had been a draw since the creation of Clear Creek County, it became more important to its communities with the decline of mining in the twentieth century. In the late 1930s, both Loveland Ski Area and Berthoud Pass Ski Area opened lifts. Berthoud Pass closed in the late 1980s due to lack of funding. Loveland Ski Area continues to be a favorite of Denver residents and visitors because it is fewer than forty miles from the city and offers ski slopes for all skill levels.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The 1956 Interstate Act authorized the western extension of Interstate 70 from Denver to eastern Utah. This route ran through Clear Creek County, again providing convenient access to these mountain communities from Denver. The extension was built in the late 1950s and brought tourists as well as residents to the area. People could now commute to Denver for work.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1959, as the centennial of Jackson’s first gold strike approached, many Clear Creek communities began looking to the past to boost the county into the future. With the help of the Colorado Historical Society (now <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/history-colorado-colorado-historical-society"><strong>History Colorado</strong></a>), plans to rebuild the Georgetown Loop emerged. A ten-year process of land acquisition began, with the society buying, leasing, and receiving donated land to rebuild the line. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the Historical Society continued work with communities, historians, and archaeologists to develop the line for visitors. The first train on the rebuilt line ran in 1975. The loop grew to include a reconstructed Lebanon Mine, the Silver Plume Depot, and the Devil’s Gate High Bridge, among other structures. The project continues to grow, adding more visitor amenities such as meal service for passengers and interpretative signage.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Several historical societies formed in the later twentieth century with the common goal of preserving the history of Clear Creek County for residents and visitors. The Historical Society of Idaho Springs formed in 1964 and has worked to preserve buildings in the city’s historic downtown district. The Mill Creek Historical Society formed in 1981 with the goal of saving the 1909 schoolhouse, which the society succeeded in refurbishing. It then went on to preserve the Mill Creek House and continues preservation work in Dumont. Historic Georgetown and several other local history societies also work to preserve the county’s history.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Today</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Today, the Clear Creek County economy is heavily reliant on tourism, but officials aim to develop several other industries to promote population and economic growth. The largest employer in the county is the retail sector, followed by government and mining. Henderson Mine is the county’s largest single employer, though its impending closure poses a major threat to the county economy. The county is currently working on long-term plans to deal with the projected job loss when the mine close.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>While mining brought the county to prominence, the environmental effects are still being addressed today. In 1983 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed the Central City and Clear Creek area on its Superfund list for environmental cleanup. Since the they were opened in the nineteenth century, the county’s mines have caused heavy metal pollution, requiring cleanup to the present.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>As the EPA cleans up the county’s mines, local residents work to preserve some of its most important natural areas. The Clear Creek Land Conservancy began in 1994 as a community-based plan to conserve the environment of Clear Creek Canyon. Both the Superfund site and land conservancy work to protect the environment of the county for the enjoyment of future generations.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Tourists come to Clear Creek County to view historic towns, take mine tours, ride the Georgetown Loop, and enjoy a range of outdoor activities. In winter visitors come primarily for skiing and snowboarding at the county’s ski areas. Summer brings hikers, mountain bikers, anglers, rafters, and other outdoor enthusiasts to the area. The county is also home to <strong>Mt. Evans</strong>, a <a href="/article/fourteeners"><strong>Fourteener</strong></a> that has a paved highway to its summit. Due to its proximity to Denver and its scenic mountain setting, Clear Creek County remains a popular draw for Front Range residents and visitors.</p>&#13; </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/clear-creek" hreflang="en">Clear Creek</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/clear-creek-canyon" hreflang="en">clear creek canyon</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/idaho-springs" hreflang="en">Idaho Springs</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/georgetown" hreflang="en">georgetown</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/colorado-gold-rush" hreflang="en">Colorado Gold Rush</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Mark Baldwin, “<a href="http://gilpintram.com/cchistory.html">Colorado Central and Colorado Southern: Clear Creek Division</a>,” <em>The Gilpin Tramway and the Mines, Mills and Railroads of Gilpin County Colorado</em>, January 27, 2007.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Central City / Clear Creek Superfund Site, “<a href="https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/HM_sf-cccc-2015-factsheet.pdf">Updated Fact Sheet</a>,” Central City / Clear Creek Superfund Site, 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Clear Creek County, “<a href="https://www.clearcreekcounty.us/">Clear Creek County</a>,” 2016.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Clear Creek County Government, “<a href="http://www.co.clear-creek.co.us/DocumentCenter/View/6508">Annual Report, Clear Creek County, Colorado, 2015,</a>” Clear Creek County Government, 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Clear Creek County Government, “<a href="http://www.co.clear-creek.co.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/929">Clear Creek County Master Plan, 2030</a>,” Colorado Department of Local Affairs, January 15, 2004.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Clear Creek Tourism Bureau, “<a href="https://visitclearcreek.com/">Clear Creek County 365</a>,” Clear Creek County, 2016.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Climax Molybdenum, “<a href="https://www.climaxmolybdenum.com/operations/henderson.htm">Empire Colorado–Henderson Operations</a>,” Climax Molybdenum, A Freeport-McMoRan Company, n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Colorado Department of Transportation, “<a href="https://www.codot.gov/about/CDOTHistory/50th-anniversary/interstate-70">The History of I-70 in Colorado</a>,” Colorado Department of Transportation, n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Colorado Geological Survey, “<a href="https://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/mineral-resources/historic-mining-districts/clear-creek-county/georgetown-silver-plume/">Clear Creek County: Georgetown-Silver Plume</a>,” Colorado Geologic Survey, Colorado School of Mines, 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Colorado Ski History, “<a href="http://www.coloradoskihistory.com/areahistory/loveland.html">Loveland Ski Area</a>,” Colorado Ski History, 2010.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>David Cushman, “<a href="https://www.co.clear-creek.co.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/992">Clear Creek County, Colorado Cultural Resources Management Plan</a>,” SRI Foundation for Board of County Commissioners, Clear Creek County Colorado, 2010.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Doug Freed, “<a href="https://cyberwest.com/">Berthoud Pass: Colorado’s First Ski Area</a>,” <em>CyberWest</em>, January 10, 1996.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Georgetown Loop Railroad, Colorado, “<a href="https://www.georgetownlooprr.com/our-history/">Our History</a>,” Historic Rail Adventures, LLC, n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Mill Creek Valley Historical Society, “<a href="https://mcvhs.org/">About MCVHS</a>,” MCVHS, n.d.</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p>Historical Society of Idaho Springs, <em>History of Clear Creek County: Tailings, Tacks, and Tommyknockers</em> (Forest Lake, MN: Specialty Press, 1986).</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Mon, 30 Jan 2017 18:05:17 +0000 yongli 2226 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Saguache County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/saguache-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Saguache County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2200--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2200.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/saguache-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Saguache%20County%20Media%201_0.jpg?itok=1o8NGPny" width="1090" height="789" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/saguache-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Saguache County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Saguache County, known as the northern gateway to the San Luis Valley, lies between the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Mountain Ranges.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2201--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2201.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/bonanza-1882-1990"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Saguache-Media-2_0.jpg?itok=7SCiKeAW" width="1000" height="571" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/bonanza-1882-1990" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Bonanza, 1882-1990?</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The boom town of Bonanza was a flurry of activity during its late nineteenth-century gold rush.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> <button class="carousel-control-prev" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="prev"> <span class="carousel-control-prev-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Previous</span> </button> <button class="carousel-control-next" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="next"> <span class="carousel-control-next-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Next</span> </button> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-01-23T14:08:20-07:00" title="Monday, January 23, 2017 - 14:08" class="datetime">Mon, 01/23/2017 - 14:08</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/saguache-county" data-a2a-title="Saguache County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Fsaguache-county&amp;title=Saguache%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Known as the northern gateway to the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/san-luis-valley"><strong>San Luis Valley</strong></a>, Saguache County covers 3,168 miles between the <strong>Sangre de Cristo</strong> and <a href="/article/san-juan-mountains"><strong>San Juan Mountain</strong></a> ranges in southern Colorado. The word <em>Saguache</em>, pronounced “Sa-watch,” is derived from the Ute language and means “blue-green Earth”—a reference to the forested zone between high mountain peaks and valley floors, which often appears blue from a distance. Saguache County is bordered by <a href="/article/gunnison-county"><strong>Gunnison County</strong></a> to the northwest, <a href="/article/chaffee-county"><strong>Chaffee County</strong></a> to the north, <a href="/article/fremont-county"><strong>Fremont County</strong></a> to the northeast, <a href="/article/custer-county"><strong>Custer County</strong></a> to the east, <a href="/article/huerfano-county"><strong>Huerfano County</strong></a> to the southeast, <a href="/article/alamosa-county"><strong>Alamosa</strong></a> and <a href="/article/rio-grande-county"><strong>Rio Grande</strong></a> Counties to the south, and <a href="/article/mineral-county"><strong>Mineral</strong></a> and <a href="/article/hinsdale-county"><strong>Hinsdale</strong></a> Counties to the southwest.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>As of 2015, Saguache County held a population of 6,251. The county seat is <a href="/article/saguache-0"><strong>Saguache</strong></a>, with a population of 493. Other communities of include Bonanza, <a href="/article/crestone"><strong>Crestone</strong></a>, <strong>Moffat</strong>, and<strong> Villa Grove</strong>.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Native Americans</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Humans have inhabited southern Colorado sporadically for over 10,000 years; various groups moved seasonally through the region hunting wild game and gathering edible plants. Traces of these people remain in the form of scattered stone arrow and spear points (including <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/clovis"><strong>Clovis</strong></a> and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/folsom-people"><strong>Folsom</strong></a> points) as well as petroglyphs and pictographs in caves and canyons along the base of the <a href="/article/san-juan-mountains"><strong>San Juan</strong></a> and Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Owing to its many mountain passes, such as <strong>Poncha</strong> and <strong>Cochetopa</strong> Passes, the Saguache County area has been a transportation corridor for millennia. By the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, <a href="/search/google/ute"><strong>Ute</strong></a> people inhabited what is now Saguache County, using the passes on their seasonal travels to and from the San Luis Valley. The Tabeguache, Muache, and Capote Utes were the dominant groups in the region, but Navajo, <strong>Comanche</strong>, <strong>Cheyenne</strong>, <strong>Arapaho</strong>, and <strong>Kiowa</strong> people also lived nearby and occasionally contested use of the valley.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>European Exploration and Settlement</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>By the late sixteenth century, what would become the San Luis Valley was considered part of New Spain, but the Spanish “far north” proved difficult to settle due to harsh winters, geographic isolation, and Ute resistance. General Don Diego de Vargas passed through the San Luis Valley on a campaign of reprisal after the 1680 Pueblo Revolt, and New Mexico governor <strong>Don Juan Bautista de Anza</strong> and his men passed through the eastern and northern San Luis Valley in their pursuit of the Comanche leader <strong>Cuerno Verde</strong> in 1779.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The American explorer <a href="/article/zebulon-montgomery-pike"><strong>Zebulon Pike</strong></a>, dispatched to explore the southern reaches of the Louisiana Purchase, wintered in the San Luis Valley in early 1807 before he was arrested by the Spanish for trespassing. French fur trappers frequented the area as well, traveling across the low mountain passes in what became Saguache County to acquire pelts in the San Luis Valley. Later in the century, American explorer <a href="/article/john-c-frémont"><strong>John C. Frémont</strong></a> passed through the area while probing the American west for westward railroad routes.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Following its independence from Spain in 1821, Mexico issued <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/mexican-land-grants-colorado"><strong>land grants</strong></a> to encourage settlement, and some of these resulted in small communities of Mexican farmers and shepherds living in the San Luis Valley. One such grant, the 1833 Conejos Guadalupe Land Grant, comprised parts of the present-day Saguache, Rio Grande, and <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/conejos-county"><strong>Conejos</strong></a> Counties. A portion of the multiparcel Cabeza de Baca Grant issued by the United States also lies in the western San Luis Valley. These land grants resulted in property disputes amongst the descendants of Hispano settlers and white <a href="/article/homestead"><strong>homesteaders</strong></a> well into the twentieth century. Mexico also used the Saguache County area as a transportation corridor; the mountainous northern branch of the <a href="/article/old-spanish-national-historic-trail"><strong>Spanish Trail</strong></a>, the main lifeline connecting Santa Fe to Los Angeles from 1829 to 1848, went over Cochetopa Pass.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>County Development</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Large-scale settlement of the San Luis Valley did not occur until after 1848, when the <a href="/article/treaty-guadalupe-hidalgo"><strong>Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo</strong></a> ended the Mexican-American War and brought much of the American Southwest under control of the United States. In the 1860s and 1870s, several treaties and agreements relegated local Ute Indians to lands farther west, encouraging white and Hispano settlement in the San Luis Valley.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Agriculture flourished in the area during the 1870s and 1880s for several reasons. The <a href="/article/homestead"><strong>Homestead Act</strong></a> of 1862 and the end of the Civil War encouraged thousands of people to move West, and Colorado’s <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/precious-metal-mining-colorado"><strong>mining</strong></a> boom increased the need for farms to produce food for hungry miners. Saguache farmers soon supplied much of the surrounding area with flour and hay, but their lands required <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/irrigation-colorado"><strong>irrigation</strong></a> due to the arid conditions of the San Luis Valley. At first, many used arroyos, but as farming expanded they dug irrigation ditches from small mountain springs and drew water from artesian wells. Large cattle-ranching operations developed in the 1880s, which caused land-use conflicts between Anglo-American cattle ranchers and Hispano shepherds. In the 1890s, Congress created timber reserves, which were converted into national forest lands in 1907; Rio Grande, Cochetopa, and San Isabel <a href="/article/us-forest-service-colorado"><strong>National Forests</strong></a> are all public lands used heavily for local grazing.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>One of the ambitious men who homesteaded the Saguache area in the mid-1860s that would help shape the region for decades in the spirit of American individualism was <strong><a href="/article/otto-mears">Otto Mears</a>. </strong>He arrived in the area in 1865 and began farming wheat and milling flour for the fledgling mining communities in the mountains. Sensing a future for trade through the San Luis Valley and surrounding communities, Mears built toll roads over Poncha Pass in 1867, Cochetopa Pass in 1871, and Marshall Pass in 1878. He sold the latter road to the <strong>Denver &amp; Rio Grande Railroad </strong>(D&amp;RG), which used the path to extend its narrow gauge line to <strong>Gunnison</strong> ahead of its rivals. Mears founded a local newspaper—the <em>Saguache Chronicle</em>—in 1874, and even started his own railway in the San Juans. Mears single-handedly improved road infrastructure and encouraged travel and trade amongst the early mountain communities of southern Colorado, earning himself the title “pathfinder of the San Juans.”</p>&#13; &#13; <p>But Mears was not alone. Other immigrants to the valley—such as Nathan Russell, John Lawrence, and <strong>Enos Hotchkiss—</strong>helped develop communities by improving roads and local services and serving as early government officials.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The agricultural communities in the northern San Luis Valley continued to attract settlers, leading to the formation of Saguache County from the northern portion of  <a href="/article/costilla-county"><strong>Costilla County</strong></a> in 1866; the county later expanded when it incorporated former Ute territory in the San Juans. The town of Saguache became the county seat and gained a post office in 1867. Prominent local businessmen formed the Saguache Town Company in 1874, and a local school was founded the same year. In 1873 Enos Hotchkiss built the Saguache Flour Mill, one of the first in the area to supply local miners with wheat flour. Villa Grove was founded in the mid-1860s as another supply center for the growing agricultural communities.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Mining and Railroads</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Like much of Colorado, Saguache County’s history is closely tied to mining. The first gold rush to the area—modest in scale compared to those along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains—began in 1879, when silver-lead-manganese veins were discovered along Kerber Creek. The mining camp of <strong>Bonanza</strong> to the west of Villa Grove was founded as a central hub for other small mining operations in the area; the smelter there was completed by 1879 and continued operation for three years. Mines soon opened up in Orient in the northeastern San Luis Valley to exploit local iron ores. Gold discoveries near Cochetopa and at the base of the San Juans contributed to the mining boom, and local populations ballooned as thousands of miners came to the valley seeking fortunes. Prominent local mines included the Rawley, Antoro, Michigan, Paragon, Cocomongo, and Eagle.</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="/article/crestone"><strong>Crestone</strong></a>, founded in 1880, grew to a population of around 2,000 in the early 1900s as it became a trade center for the El Dorado and Crestone Mining Districts. The surrounding area boomed with activity several times between 1880 and 1910 as silver and gold mines opened and closed. Iron mines proved more stable, if less flashy, investments; the mines at Orient continued producing ore until 1919.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The growing productivity of local mines called for an expansion of railways to ship supplies and minerals around the area. Already connected to the San Luis Valley by way of La Veta Pass, the D&amp;RG completed its narrow-gauge line over Poncha Pass and on to Villa Grove and the iron mines at Orient in 1881. The railroad continued south in 1890 to reach the Alamosa and La Veta Line, prompting the growth of farming centers like Moffat in the 1890s. Moffat served as an important rail stop until the end of <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/colorado-world-war-i"><strong>World War I</strong></a>.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Railroads remained the primary form of local transportation until the expansion of automobile ownership and the highway system in the 1920s and 1930s. Mining declined around the turn of the twentieth century, but 1912 saw a mining revival in the Bonanza and Kerber Districts. Between 1880 and the closing of local mines in 1923, Saguache County produced over $2.7 million in minerals, $1.6 million of which was in silver.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Twentieth Century</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>As the mining industry declined in the early twentieth century, local economic activity began to focus again on raising crops. The 1920s saw many farmers begin cultivating vegetables such as lettuce, peas, spinach, cauliflower, barley, beans, and potatoes for sale in a growing national market, using the readily available rail system to export produce. Cattle raising became an important local activity as well. The steady mechanization of agriculture over the twentieth century led to a net loss of jobs in that sector of the economy; as a result, small agricultural communities throughout Colorado have struggled to attract new residents and grow their economies. Due to the extremely low rainfall in the county—less than seven inches annually—locals have relied on center-pivot irrigation systems, which came under widespread use in 1940s and 1950s, to water the vast fields throughout Saguache County</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The decline of mining in Saguache County parallels the boom and bust cycle of much of the American west; many of the former mining settlements atrophied into <strong>ghost towns</strong>. Bonanza, which had once been home to nineteen mills and four smelters, had a population of less than twenty in the twenty-first century. The Baca Grant demonstrated changing land-use patterns of the twentieth century. Its mines lost their luster, and the grant’s various owners used the land alternatively for logging and cattle ranching throughout the century.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Today</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Much of the modern economy of Saguache County relies on agriculture and stock raising. Around 38 percent of residents derive their income from agricultural enterprise, and the county ranks second in the state in vegetable production, third in potato production, and second in barley production. Other crops include alfalfa and hay. Ranchers graze their livestock in the meadows of the San Luis Valley during the mild summer. Cattle are the most numerous livestock, but sheep, goats, and pigs are raised in smaller numbers as well. Due to the valley’s plentiful sunshine, the region has also attracted the solar energy development.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Outdoor tourism also constitutes a large portion of the local economy. Saguache County boasts 743,544 acres of public land, including Bureau of Land Management lands, the Sangre de Cristo and La Garita Wilderness Areas, Rio Grande and Gunnison National Forests, and the <a href="/article/great-sand-dunes-national-park-and-preserve"><strong>Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve</strong></a>. The area also hosts a section of the <strong>Continental Divide Scenic Trail</strong>, as well as several <a href="/article/fourteeners"><strong>Fourteeners</strong></a> (peaks over 14,000 feet)—Kit Carson Peak, <strong>Crestone Peak</strong>, <strong>Crestone Needle</strong>, and Challenger Point—that attract hikers and backpackers in the warmer months. The Carnero Creek Pictographs in Rio Grande National Forest offer a glimpse into the lives of Native Americans who lived in the valley throughout prehistory.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Rock climbers enjoy world-class climbing in Penitente Canyon. Hunters flock to the valley seeking <a href="/article/rocky-mountain-elk"><strong>elk</strong></a>, deer, and small game, and anglers wade through the cool mountain streams in search of brook, brown, and cutthroat trout. Natural hot springs near the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains have been converted to recreational pools in several locations. Visitors can also tour the local alligator farm, a local preserve for exotic animals. Travelers interested in the valley’s famous history of unexplained phenomena stop by the <strong>UFO watchtower</strong> on Highway 17—the “cosmic highway”—in hopes of glimpsing extraterrestrial visitors.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Saguache County also offers attractions for travelers interested in the history of the San Luis Valley, Colorado, and the American West. The built environment reveals many trends throughout history; one such development was the expansion of local business and government infrastructure that accompanied the growth of local mining and agriculture. Saguache’s Downtown Historic District, the 1874–1910 Dunn’s Block / Means &amp; Ashley Mercantile Company. Several historic churches demonstrate the diversity of religious practices in the region, including the 1911 <a href="/article/first-baptist-church-moffat"><strong>First Baptist Church of Moffat</strong></a>, the 1912–23 Capilla de San Juan Bautista in La Garita, and the 1947 St. Agnes Mission Church.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>As in ancient times, Saguache County’s relatively navigable mountain passes allow for travel into and out of the northern San Luis Valley. Highway 114 follows the same path used by old Native American trails, toll roads, and railroads. Highways 17 and 285 run north-south through the county, providing Coloradans a vital transportation corridor.</p>&#13; </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/saguache-county" hreflang="en">Saguache County</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/saguache" hreflang="en">saguache</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/david-moffat" hreflang="en">david moffat</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/san-luis-valley" hreflang="en">San Luis Valley</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/cochetopa-pass" hreflang="en">cochetopa pass</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/crestone" hreflang="en">crestone</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/moffat" hreflang="en">moffat</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/villa-grove" hreflang="en">villa grove</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/saguache-county-history" hreflang="en">saguache county history</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/sangre-de-cristo-mountains" hreflang="en">sangre de cristo mountains</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/poncha-pass" hreflang="en">poncha pass</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/juan-bautista-de-anza" hreflang="en">juan bautista de anza</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/spanish-trail" hreflang="en">spanish trail</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/otto-mears" hreflang="en">Otto Mears</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Carl Abbott, Stephen J. Leonard, and Thomas J. Noel, <em>C</em><em>olorado: A History of the Centennial State</em>, 4th ed. (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2005).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Crestone and Saguache County Visitor’s Agency, <a href="https://crestonecreations.com/saguacheorg/">Saguache County</a>, 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Charles W. Henderson, <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0138/report.pdf">“Mining in Colorado: A History of Discovery, Development, and Production,” </a>US Geologic Survey (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1926).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Fauntleroy, Gussie. “<a href="http://www.crestoneeagle.com/land-water-grass-animals-history-of-the-baca-grant-part-i/">Land, Water, Grass &amp; Animals: History of the Baca Grant, part I</a>,” <em>Crestone Eagle, </em>July 29, 2013.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>History Colorado, “<a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/oahp/saguache-county">Saguache County</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>John H. Monnett and Michael McCarthy, <em>Colorado Profiles: Men and Women Who Shaped the Centennial State</em> (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 1996).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Saguache County Chamber of Commerce, “<a href="https://saguachechamber.org/saguache-colorado-history/">Saguache County: Past and Present</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Saguache County Tourism Council, “<a href="http://www.saguachetourism.com/images/magazines/magazine-downloads/2008_saguache_county_guide.pdf">Saguache County 2008 Visitors Guide</a>,” updated 2008.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Virginia McConnell Simmons, <em>The San Luis Valley: Land of the Six-Armed Cross</em> (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 1999).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Census Bureau, “<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/08109">Saguache County Quick Facts</a>,” updated 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Department of Agriculture, “<a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2012/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/">2012 Census of Agriculture County Profile, Saguache County, Colorado</a>,” US Census of Agriculture, 2012.</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p>Colorado.com Staff, "<a href="https://www.colorado.com/articles/hidden-colorado-gem-penitente-canyon">Hidden Colorado Gem: Penitente Canyon</a>," Colorado Tourism, 2017.</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.museumtrail.org/crestone-history-museum.html">Crestone History Museum</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm">Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p>Rocky Mountain PBS, <a href="https://video.rmpbs.org/video/2365603249/">"The San Luis Valley,"</a> <em>Colorado Experience</em>, November 12, 2015.</p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="http://www.choose-saguache.com/index.php/about-us/about-saguache-county">Saguache County Overview</a></p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Mon, 23 Jan 2017 21:08:20 +0000 yongli 2199 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org Rio Grande County http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/rio-grande-county <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Rio Grande County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: x field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-article-image.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-article-image.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div id="carouselEncyclopediaArticle" class="carousel slide" data-bs-ride="true"> <div class="carousel-inner"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2197--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2197.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/map-colorado-highlighting-rio-grande-county"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Rio%20Grande%20Media%201_0.jpg?itok=yox1vFw1" width="1090" height="789" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/map-colorado-highlighting-rio-grande-county" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Map of Colorado Highlighting Rio Grande County</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Rio Grande County is the westernmost county in Colorado’s San Luis Valley.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> <div class="carousel-item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * node--2198--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--2198.html.twig x node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig * node--image.html.twig * node--article-detail-image.html.twig * node.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image--image.html.twig * field--node--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--field-encyclopedia-image.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-encyclopedia-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <a href="/image/monte-vista-colorado-1900-1910"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_style' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/Rio-Grande-Media-2_0.jpg?itok=MPAvXV8K" width="1000" height="757" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-wide" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-style.html.twig' --> </a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="carousel-caption d-none d-md-block"> <h5><a href="/image/monte-vista-colorado-1900-1910" rel="bookmark"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--image.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Monte Vista, Colorado (1900-1910)</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--title.html.twig' --> </a></h5> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--image.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--image.html.twig * field--body.html.twig x field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Monte Vista was a blossoming agricultural community at the beginning of the twentieth century.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--text-with-summary.html.twig' --> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/content/node--image--article-detail-image.html.twig' --> </div> </div> <button class="carousel-control-prev" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="prev"> <span class="carousel-control-prev-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Previous</span> </button> <button class="carousel-control-next" type="button" data-bs-target="#carouselEncyclopediaArticle" data-bs-slide="next"> <span class="carousel-control-next-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> <span class="visually-hidden">Next</span> </button> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--field-article-image--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" about="/users/yongli" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">yongli</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/user/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--encyclopedia-article.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-01-23T13:24:06-07:00" title="Monday, January 23, 2017 - 13:24" class="datetime">Mon, 01/23/2017 - 13:24</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/field/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'addtoany_standard' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * addtoany-standard--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * addtoany-standard--node.html.twig x addtoany-standard.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="http://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/rio-grande-county" data-a2a-title="Rio Grande County"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoloradoencyclopedia.org%2Farticle%2Frio-grande-county&amp;title=Rio%20Grande%20County"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/addtoany/templates/addtoany-standard.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item" id="id-body"><p>Rio Grande County is located in the western <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/san-luis-valley"><strong>San Luis Valley</strong></a> in south-central Colorado. It covers 912 square miles and ranges in elevation from 7,000 feet on the valley floor to over 13,000 feet atop several mountain peaks. <strong>Del Norte</strong> is the county seat, and <strong>Monte Vista</strong>, operating as a Home-Rule Municipality, is the most populous city. The county is named for the <strong>Rio Grande River</strong>, formerly known as the Río Bravo del Norte, the principal river of the San Luis Valley. Rio Grande County is bordered by <a href="/article/saguache-county"><strong>Saguache County</strong></a> to the north, <a href="/article/alamosa-county"><strong>Alamosa County</strong></a> to the east, <a href="/article/conejos-county"><strong>Conejos County</strong></a> to the south, <a href="/article/archuleta-county"><strong>Archuleta County</strong></a> to the southwest, and <a href="/article/mineral-county"><strong>Mineral County</strong></a> to the west. As of 2015, the county had a population of 11,543.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Indigenous History</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Human habitation in the San Luis Valley stretches back at least 10,000 years, when indigenous hunter-gatherers used the area as a seasonal hunting ground. <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/clovis"><strong>Clovis</strong></a> and Yuma people left physical evidence of their presence in the form of petroglyphs and stone spear points. Although large gaps exist in the archaeological record, more recent native peoples, such as the Nuche (<a href="/search/google/ute"><strong>Ute</strong></a> people) continued the tradition of hunting <a href="/article/rocky-mountain-elk"><strong>elk</strong></a>, <strong>bison</strong>, and smaller game in the valley’s mild summer months before wintering in northern New Mexico and Arizona. Harsh winters discouraged permanent settlement in the area. The petroglyphs etched into stone faces on the western side of the San Luis Valley demonstrate an ancient native presence, while pictographs of horses and armed soldiers paint a more recent history. The <strong>Cheyenne</strong>, <strong>Comanche,</strong> <strong>Apache</strong>, and Navajo also frequented the area, but the Nuche remained the dominant presence in the region through the 1700s. In the 1860s and 1870s, a series of treaties and agreements signed by representatives of the Utes and the US government relegated the Utes to lands west of the San Luis Valley, solidifying US dominance of Colorado.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Arrival of Europeans</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Spaniards were the first Europeans to visit the area that would eventually become Rio Grande County. Spain laid claim to the entire Luis Valley, but the area proved difficult to settle due to harsh winters, geographic isolation, and resistance from the Utes. General Don Diego de Vargas passed through the San Luis Valley on a reprisal campaign after the 1680 Pueblo Revolt, and New Mexico Governor <strong>Don Juan Bautista de Anza</strong> and his men passed through the San Luis Valley in their pursuit of the Comanche leader <strong>Cuerno Verde</strong> in 1779. The first prominent Americans to pass through the area were explorers <a href="/article/zebulon-montgomery-pike"><strong>Zebulon Pike</strong></a> and his men in the early months of 1807 and <a href="/article/john-c-frémont"><strong>John C. Frémont</strong></a>’s Fourth Rocky Mountain expedition of 1848, both of whom learned of the valley’s inhospitable winters firsthand.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Following independence from Spain in 1820, Mexico began issuing <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/mexican-land-grants-colorado"><strong>land grants</strong></a> to attract settlers to the former Spanish “far north.” One such grant, the 1833 Conejos Guadalupe Land Grant, included parts of present-day Saguache, Rio Grande, and Conejos Counties. An attempt to settle the grant in 1843 was thwarted by Utes and Navajos, but later attempts were more successful. The San Luis Valley came under control of the United States following the Mexican-American War in 1848, and became part of <a href="/article/colorado-territory"><strong>Colorado Territory</strong></a> in 1861. The United States represented a strong military presence, easing would-be settlers’ fears about native depredations.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Several small settlements took hold in present-day Rio Grande County throughout the nineteenth century. In 1859 fourteen families from Santa Fe and northern New Mexico constructed a plaza near present-day Del Norte called La Loma de San José. In 1865 New Mexican Manuel Lucero built the Lucero Plaza four miles up the Rio Grande from Monte Vista.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The early settlers of what became Rio Grande County lived mostly as farmers and shepherds, with the arid desert conditions of the San Luis Valley posing a familiar challenge for the former New Mexicans. Settlers often used natural arroyos for irrigation before digging more efficient ditch systems. The Silva Ditch was the first in the area, followed by dozens more. T. C. Henry, a local businessman and community leader, incorporated many of these early ditches into organized canal systems. Several historic trends encouraged the spread of agriculture in the area after the 1860s. First, the <a href="/article/homestead"><strong>Homestead Act</strong></a> of 1862 encouraged western settlement; then, several treaties relegated the native Utes to lands further west of the San Luis Valley; and finally, Colorado’s <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/precious-metal-mining-colorado"><strong>mining boom</strong></a> brought increased needs for fresh produce.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Mining and Railroads</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>In 1870 Coloradans discovered gold at the base of the <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/san-juan-mountains"><strong>San Juan Mountains</strong></a>, sparking a modest gold rush to the western San Luis Valley. Prospectors south of Del Norte found gold at Wightman’s Gulch, leading to the development of the Summitville Mining District in 1872–73. Summitville proved a lucrative investment during its first decade of operation, producing over $2 million in gold between 1873 and 1887, with much smaller payouts between 1887 and 1923. Partly because of its higher population, Rio Grande County was formed in 1874 from parts of Conejos and <a href="/article/costilla-county"><strong>Costilla</strong></a> Counties.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>As mining attracted American settlers to the area, visionary industrialist <a href="/article/william-jackson-palmer"><strong>William Jackson Palmer</strong></a> expanded his railways into the San Luis Valley to connect the bustling communities with the rest of Colorado and New Mexico. The <strong>Denver &amp; Rio Grande Railroad</strong> (D&amp;RG) was built west from <strong>Alamosa</strong> to Del Norte in 1878 and on toward mines in the San Juans in 1881; following the Rio Grande, the line bypassed some existing settlements on the valley floor while linking others. A supply station built near La Loma Del Norte plaza would become the town of Del Norte, and another station further west would become <strong>South Fork</strong>. The line continued to <strong>Wagon Wheel Gap</strong> toward mining districts in <a href="/article/creede"><strong>Creede</strong></a> the following decade.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Between the stations at Alamosa and Del Norte, the D&amp;RG built a water tank at a point called Lariat. In 1881 Charles Fassett and Lillian L. Taylor built the L.L. Fassett Store nearby, and the Town of Henry, named for T. C. Henry, was founded in 1884. Henry was renamed and incorporated as Monte Vista in 1886, and Fassett became the first mayor. Monte Vista was touted by boosters as a dry town that demonstrated refinement in the rugged American west. The town soon became the agricultural center for the San Luis Valley, as the Empire Farm Company and Empire Canal Company developed the surrounding farmlands and a sugar beet factory was opened in 1915.<strong> Center</strong>, another important settlement in Rio Grande County, was organized in 1898 by cattle and horse rancher James L. Hurt.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The San Luis Central, a small independent rail line, was built between Monte Vista and Center in 1913 to haul <a href="/article/sugar-beet-industry"><strong>sugar beets</strong></a>, lettuce, and other produce to larger railway networks. Although mining did not serve a prominent role in the Rio Grande County economy for more than a few years, locals tapped the agricultural potential of the San Luis Valley to feed hungry miners in the San Juans and elsewhere.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Twentieth-Century Development</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>As shown by the rapid development of Monte Vista, local agriculture thrived during the first quarter of the twentieth century. In 1914 local school districts solidified, following national trends toward standardization of education. Monte Vista began hosting its <strong>Ski-Hi Stampede</strong> in 1919, the oldest-running annual rodeo in the state. The valley continued to attract settlers, but the <strong>Great Depression</strong> and <a href="/article/dust-bowl"><strong>Dust Bowl</strong></a> of the 1930s deeply affected Rio Grande County and other rural economies that relied on agricultural production. Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s <a href="/article/new-deal-colorado"><strong>New Deal</strong></a>, the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) built a hospital in Monte Vista and a community center in Center. By 1936, State Highway 160 extended through Rio Grande County and Del Norte, connecting the area to the interstate highway system and expanding national markets. The population of Rio Grande County grew to over 12,000 in 1940, and has leveled off somewhat since.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The Summitville Mining District received little attention after 1950, but in the 1980s new mining techniques that used cyanide heap pits to extract gold from low-grade ore drew companies back to abandoned mines throughout the west. The Summitville Consolidated Mining Company conducted open-pit leaching from 1984 until 1992, when it was discovered that cyanide and heavy metals leaked into the local water system, killing aquatic life along seventeen miles of the Alamosa River. At the request of the state, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took over the site under Superfund Emergency Response authority, and has since spent over $100 million in cleanup efforts. The <strong>Summitville incident</strong> was one of Colorado’s worst environmental disasters, but the episode helped shine light on national issues such as land use, mining practices, and environmental stewardship.</p>&#13; &#13; <h2>Today</h2>&#13; &#13; <p>Much of the modern economy of Rio Grande County is reliant on agriculture, with potatoes, wheat, and barley being the main cash crops. Despite low precipitation—five to seven inches per year—and a modest growing season of 100 days, local farming thrives thanks in large part to irrigation from the Rio Grande River. Farmers rely on <strong>center-pivot irrigation</strong> with water from nearby mountain springs and artesian wells. Ranchers raise cattle, hogs, and sheep, while local food-processing plants provide additional jobs in the agricultural sector.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Outdoor tourism is another important economic pillar of Rio Grande County. The <strong>Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge</strong> attracts thousands of visitors each year, especially during the spring, when nearly 20,000 sandhill cranes pass through during migration. Several endangered or threatened species—including the whooping crane, lynx, Mexican spotted owl, and bald eagle—reside in Rio Grande County. The county’s other protected areas, including the Rio Grande and Home Lake State Wildlife Areas, help conserve wildlife and public lands but also allow hunting and fishing in some areas. Sixty percent of land in the county is managed by a public authority, including 273,000 acres run by the <a href="/article/us-forest-service-colorado"><strong>US Forest Service</strong></a> and smaller tracts managed by the <strong>Bureau of Land Management</strong>, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the state. Rio Grande National Forest offers camping, hiking, skiing, and other opportunities for outdoor recreation. Wolf Creek Ski Area, founded just west of the county in 1935, continues to provide locals and tourists with the highest annual <a href="https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/snow"><strong>snowfall </strong></a>of any Colorado resort.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Rio Grande County’s historic resources also attract visitors, as they collectively demonstrate significant patterns in Colorado and San Luis Valley history. Early structures built by some of the first prominent settlers of the area, such as Del Norte’s 1870s <strong>Keck Homestead</strong> and <strong>Windsor Hotel</strong>, remain in good condition, as does the 1885 <strong>Aldrich House</strong> and <strong>Downtown Historic District</strong> in Monte Vista. Several historic religious structures—including the 1881 <a href="/article/st-francis-assisi-mission-church"><strong>St. Francis of Assisi Mission Church</strong></a> near Del Norte, the 1922 First Methodist Episcopal Church in Monte Vista, and the 1912 Monte Vista Cemetery Chapel—demonstrate the religious diversity of early Rio Grande County. Several other structures in Monte Vista reflect the growth of educational and civil facilities, including the 1895 Monte Vista Library, the 1919 Carnegie Library, and the 1938 Central School Auditorium &amp; Gymnasium. Founded in the 1890s, the <a href="/article/state-soldiers%E2%80%99-and-sailors%E2%80%99-home"><strong>State Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home</strong></a> east of Monte Vista still provides care for veterans. The rich historic resources of Rio Grande County reflect a history of rapid development, agriculture, transportation, and cultural diversity.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Rio Grande County continues to attract farmworkers from around Colorado and the Southwest. In recent years, the population of rural Rio Grande County—especially the area around South Fork—has grown substantially, often in the form of seasonal or part-time residents attracted to modest property values and mild summers. The area remains a vital transportation corridor, with US Highways 285 and 160 connecting local producers with shippers and consumers in Colorado and New Mexico.</p>&#13; </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-author"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-author">Author</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-author"><a href="/author/encyclopedia-staff" hreflang="und">Encyclopedia Staff</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-keyword--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-keyword.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-keyword.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-keyword field--type-entity-reference field--label-above" id="id-field-keyword"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-keyword">Keywords</div> <div class='field__items'> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/county-history" hreflang="en">county history</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/del-norte" hreflang="en">del norte</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/rio-grande-river" hreflang="en">rio grande river</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/san-luis-valley" hreflang="en">San Luis Valley</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/monte-vista" hreflang="en">Monte Vista</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/mexican-land-grants" hreflang="en">mexican land grants</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/juan-bautista-de-anza" hreflang="en">juan bautista de anza</a></div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-keyword"><a href="/keyword/william-jackson-palmer" hreflang="en">william jackson palmer</a></div> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links--inline.html.twig * links--node.html.twig * links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap_barrio/templates/navigation/links--inline.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-references-html--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-references-html.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-references-html.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-references-html field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-references-html"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-references-html">References</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-references-html"><p>Carl Abbott, Stephen J. Leonard, and Thomas J. Noel, <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=ti%3A%22Colorado:%20A%20History%20of%20the%20Centennial%20State%22" title="Find in a library with WorldCat (external link)"><em>Colorado: A History of the Centennial State</em></a>, 4th ed. (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2005).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>History Colorado, “<a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/oahp/rio-grande-county">Rio Grande County</a>,” n.d.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Geoffrey S. Plumlee, <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1995/ofr-95-0023/summit.htm">The Summitville Mine and its Downstream Effects</a>, USGS, updated 2013.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Martha Quillen, “<a href="https://www.cozine.com:8443/2001-december/mexican-land-grants-in-colorado">Mexican Land Grants in Colorado</a>,” <em>Colorado Central Magazine</em>, December 2001.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Rio Grande County, <a href="https://cityofmontevista.colorado.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/143">Rio Grande County Joint Master Plan</a>, 2004.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Virginia McConnell Simmons, <em>The San Luis Valley: Land of the Six-Armed Cross</em> (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 1999).</p>&#13; &#13; <p>P. J. Smith, “<a href="http://crestoneeagle.com/archives2005/headlineB1.nov05.html">The Summitville Mine: Colorado’s Worst Environmental Disaster</a>,” <em>Crestone Eagle</em>, November 2005.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>South Fork Visitor Center, “<a href="https://www.southfork.org/south-fork/history-heritage">South Fork History</a>,” 2013.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>US Census Bureau, “<a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/08105">Census Quickfacts: Rio Grande County</a>,” updated 2015.</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-additional-information-htm--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--node--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig x field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig * field--field-additional-information-htm.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-additional-information-htm field--type-text-long field--label-above" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"> <div class="field__label" id="id-field-additional-information-htm">Additional Information</div> <div class="field__item" id="id-field-additional-information-htm"><p><a href="https://monte-vista.org/Agriculture.htm">Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.riograndecounty.org/">Rio Grande County</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p><a href="https://www.museumtrail.org/rio-grande-county-museum">Rio Grande County Museum</a></p>&#13; &#13; <p>Rocky Mountain PBS, <a href="https://video.rmpbs.org/video/2365603249/">"The San Luis Valley,"</a> <em>Colorado Experience</em>, November 12, 2015.</p>&#13; </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/encyclopedia/templates/field/field--node--encyclopedia-article.html.twig' --> Mon, 23 Jan 2017 20:24:06 +0000 yongli 2196 at http://coloradoencyclopedia.org