Since this is the 200th anniversary of the Santa Fe Trail and the 150th anniversary of the platting of Florence, I thought I’d give you a brief history lesson. (If you found history dull in school, I hope this changes your mind a bit.)From 1822 to 1880 many, many folks came west on the Santa Fe Trail to what was then, New Spain or Mexico and is now Colorado and New Mexico. The trip by oxen and wagon, mule, horse and on foot was dramatic and traumatic. Between the irritated Indians and Mexicans, rattlesnakes and cholera, etc. it is a wonder anyone made it.
They kept coming and coming on the Trail along the Arkansas River. When they saw the Rockies looming in the distance, many must have said, “okay, that’s enough” and settled in what is now southeast Colorado. Not to mention the fact they discovered a beautiful valley. At certain times of the year, the land appeared lush and green especially after a rainy season or a heavy snow melt in the spring. It seemed like the ideal place to live. So they spread out to the foothills and settled, building trading posts (or forts, as they were called) and villages. Still plagued by Mexican and Indian attacks, they stood what they considered to be “their” ground. Mexican, Indian, White or Whatever, stood for what they believed to be “right.” There were many brave heroes who believed whatever side they were on was the right one. Exciting, right?
Then along came the railroad. That is a long and exciting tale in itself. By the 1880’s, gold had been discovered in Victor and Cripple Creek and a whole bunch of energetic, creative entrepreneurs came to Florence. They doggedly raised money to build their dream of the Florence & Cripple Creek Railroad to bring this gold to the many smelters in Florence. This boosted the need for the oil and coal prevalent around Florence. Then there was the need for merchants of all trades. Fremont county was already an agricultural and ranching area, so the boom began. Then there is the story of the railroad wars and the miners’ strikes…
I have definitely run out of room here to cover the excitement of the past. You’ll have to google it or read some of the great books about southeast Colorado where you’ll find Florence.
Caption: The Making of Florence, a mural by Sandy Dale on loan from the Florence Pioneer Museum
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