Tuesday, June 12, 2018

A Drive Through History With The Most Historic Towns Colorado

By Walter Graham


The State of Colorado is renowned for many things, and one of them is the fact that it is not among the first states to be unionized. Records indicate that it became a US state in 1876, a couple of years after many others. Despite this, it has just as much history as any other state in America. This article showcases some of the historic towns Colorado.

If archived records of American history are to be believed, San Luis holds the mark for being the oldest town in the entire state. Its first settlers were a group of Tao people, with the year being 1851. At the time, the settlement fell under the jurisdiction of the state of New Mexico. Nevertheless, territorial changes were made in 1861, with its mandate being placed under the current territorial jurisdiction.

The beginning of 1858 saw the establishment of another town called Boulder. There were few buildings during its first year, but more structures, including schools, were put up during the subsequent years. The same period also saw the construction of a very important railroad.

Today, one of the best mountain destinations within the state is Leadville. During its establishment, it was resided by miners who believed the area had vast gold reserves. As a matter of fact, its original name was the Oro City, meaning gold. Its original settlers arrived during the 1859 gold rush.

Despite their best efforts, the ore was never found, leading to a mass exodus from the town. The settlers who chose to remain would soon discover a different mineral. In the coming years, they uncovered vast deposits of silver embedded in the locally available cerussite, a mineral based on lead. This explains where the area got its name.

Another noteworthy settlement is Idaho Springs. An extensive gold reserve was discovered in it when the gold rush was at its peak. The largest mill that was used then, the Argo, is still on site. Its key function was to mine and process gold.

Many Coloradoans also love talking about Como. It was founded by coal miners in 1879. The name came from the fact that the founders were from Como, Italy. The Denver, South Park and Pacific railroad had a huge depot in the area. Interestingly, the roadhouse remains unaltered.

The town of Black Hawk also has its fair share of history. Just like several other Coloradoan settlements, it arose from the gold rush. Back then, the ore output in its mines was stupendous. It was first settled in 1859, with many of its first settlers working in the mines for a living. After the gold deposits got depleted, many miners left for other areas.

Nowadays, it has a unique reputation for gambling. Casinos started coming up by the day in the early 1990s, and the tide has never stopped till date. Another town renowned for gambling, Central City, lies a short distance from Black Hawk. If you have a keen interest in American history, set a date to visit these areas at least once in your lifetime.




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