Colorado History Guide

The history of Colorado goes back more than 13,000 years. The region that represents today's Colorado was first inhabited by Native Americans. The Apache, Kiowa, Comanche, and Pawnee roamed the Great Plains and the Ute lived in the Colorado Plateau. In approximately 100 A.D., in the southwestern part of Colorado, the very-advanced Anasazi Indians built functional, multi-story cliff dwellings in canyon walls; later their entire culture simply vanished.

In 1540, Spaniard Francisco Vasquez de Coronado traveled through present day Colorado in search of gold. In 1682, Robert La Salle explored the Mississippi River and claimed the land surrounding this area for France. Although both Spain and France claimed the Colorado region, neither chose to settle the area. In 1800, when Napoleon Bonaparte's armies moved across Europe, pressing Spain into a corner, the Territory of Louisiana (New Orleans) and a huge slice of land in the now central United States (including much of Colorado) was ceded to France by Spain via a treaty.

In 1803, with war pressures mounting, Napoleon approved the sale of the entire area to the United States in a transaction named the Louisiana Purchase and the United States doubled in size almost overnight. Three years later, U.S. President Thomas Jefferson dispatched Lieutenant Zebulon Pike to explore this recently purchased territory; directly west of Colorado Springs stands one of the Lieutenant's most famous discoveries - Pikes Peak.

In 1821, Mexico won its independence from Spain and claimed control of western Colorado. The United States took control of Colorado during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). Until the early 1850s, the only Americans that came to Colorado were explorers and mountain men interested in beaver pelts. But in 1858 gold was discovered in Cherry Creek, near what is now Denver. Nearly 100,000 people came to the region, but more than half went home when they didn't quickly find gold. However, the great increase in population needed protection and government. In 1861, Congress created the Colorado Territory just a few weeks before the firing on Fort Sumter that signaled the beginning of America's Civil War. Colorado (for the most part) was a Union territory, and over 4,000 men volunteered to support the Union cause, fighting the confederates and the Indians.

It took fifteen more years for Colorado to achieve statehood in 1876, and it proudly became the 38th State. It was subsequently called the "Centennial State" to honor the one-hundredth year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

During the late 1800s, silver was discovered in Colorado. Leadville, Aspen, and Denver grew tremendously during this time. As silver prices dropped in the United States, gold was discovered near Cripple Creek. Irrigation projects allowed agriculture to become Colorado's major industry. New coalmines and steel mills began operating. The state's first sugar refinery opened in Grand Junction in 1899.

Colorado continued to grow tremendously during the early 1900s. The U.S. Mint opened production in Denver in 1906. Oil was discovered and became Colorado's most important mineral by 1920. In 1927, the completion of the Moffat Tunnel greatly shortened the time between Denver and Salt Lake City.

Once primarily a mining and agricultural state, Colorado's economy is now driven by the service industries, including medical providers and other business and professional services. Colorado's economy also has a strong manufacturing base. The primary manufactures are food products, printing and publishing, machinery, and electrical instruments. The state is also a communications and transportation hub for the Rocky Mountain region.

The farm industry, which is primarily concentrated in livestock, is also an important element of the state's economy. The primary crops in Colorado are corn, hay, and wheat.

Breathtaking scenery and world-class skiing make Colorado a prime tourist destination. The main tourist attractions in the state include Rocky Mountain National Park, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Mesa Verde National Park, the Great Sand Dunes and Dinosaur National Monuments, Colorado National Monument, and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument.

Once primarily a mining and agricultural state, Colorado's economy is now driven by the service industries, including medical providers and other business and professional services. Colorado's economy also has a strong manufacturing base. The primary manufactures are food products, printing and publishing, machinery, and electrical instruments. The state is also a communications and transportation hub for the Rocky Mountain region.

The farm industry, which is primarily concentrated in livestock, is also an important element of the state's economy. The primary crops in Colorado are corn, hay, and wheat.

Colorado Famous People

• Tim Allen (1953 - ) Actor, born in Denver.
• Scott Carpenter (1925 - ) One of the original seven U.S. astronauts and second American to orbit the earth; born in Boulder
• Ben Nighthorse Campbell (1933 - ) First Native American to serve in the U.S. Senate (1992).
• Adolph Coors (1847-1919) Founder of the Adolph Coors Company in Golden
• Lon Chaney (1883 - 1930) Actor made famous for his "thousand faces," starred in The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Phantom of the Opera; born in Colorado Springs.
• Jack Dempsey (1895 - 1983) Boxer, world heavyweight champion from 1919-26; born in Manassa.
• John Elway (1960 - ) Famous Denver Broncos quarterback.
• Douglas Fairbanks (1883 - 1939) Actor and founder of United Artists with Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin; born in Denver.
• Eugene Fodor (1950 - ) World-renowned violin soloist.
• Willard Libby (1908 - 1980) Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, discovered radio-carbon dating; born in Grand Valley.
• Ouray (1833 - 1880) Ute chief.
• Florence R. Sabin (1871 - 1953) First woman elected to the National Academy of Sciences; born in Central City.
• Paul Whiteman (1890 - 1967) Famous Jazz conductor.