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The Europeans Arrive

© 1985 by Andrew J. Morris

Technically, the area that is now Larimer County came under U.S. jurisdiction in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase, but it was not until much later that the U.S. government began to exert any influence or control over the area. Prior to that time the Spanish and French had each in turn claimed the area, but it is unlikely that any of their official representatives ever stepped foot in the area now known as Larimer County.

We do not know just when the first Europeans entered Larimer County -- they were undoubtably trappers and mountain men who left us no written record of the event. Early Colorado exploration parties lead by Pike in 1806 and Long in 1820 did not enter the county, though Long's party did set eyes on the famous peak that bears his name. By the 1820s the area was well known to local trappers who gave names to the Thompson and Poudre Rivers.

In 1849 a party of Cherokee Indians passed through the county on their way to California, their route later being known as the Cherokee Trail. The discovery of gold down in Cherry Creek in 1858 brought on the gold rush of 1859, and a few of the prospectors from that crowd later wandered up into what is now Larimer County. Also in 1859, some of the French fur trappers, who, with their Indian wives, had settled along the Poudre at a little village called Colona, decided to formalize their little settlement. The following year a townsite was platted and given the name Laporte. At the same time a small settlement was beginning to grow up around the site Mariano Medina settled on the Big Thompson in 1858. In February of 1861 the Territory of Colorado was officially formed, including as one of its original coutnies -- Larimer County -- with Laporte designated the county seat. The original county included most of what is now Jackson County (formed 1909), but otherwise the boundaries have changed very little.

The year 1862 was pivotal for Larimer County, as much of the region's later history was affected by decisions made that year. The eastern part of our nation was torn by a bloody Civil War. Many of the western troops were withdrawn from the frontier to help put down the Rebellion.

In Spring of 1862 gold was discovered in Idaho, drawing many hopeful prospectors away from the Colorado fields. The most direct route lay along the trail blazed by those California gold seekers thirteen years earlier -- the Cherokee Trail.

Meanwhile, the Indians up in what is now Wyoming noticed the lessening numbers of Bluecoats along the emigrant road and stage line that followed the Platte River route, so they stepped up their attacks on passing wagon trains, stagecoaches and stage stations. This not only upset the owners of the stage line, who found it rather bad for business, but also disturbed the U.S. Government, who were desperately trying to retain the loyalty, and wealth, of the western part of the nation in their battle against the southern insurgents. Thus they needed to protect their westward traveling citizens, and more importantly, they needed to protect the lines of communication in both directions< communication that was vital to the nation interest as well as business. So, when managers of the stage line decided to move their business to a different, safer route, the government supported them. The stage company chose the Cherokee Trail as their new route and began setting up stage stations along the route, including one at Medina's crossing called Namagua, and others at Laporte, Virginia Dale, and other Larimer County locations. The Military established two new outposts to help protect the new route, one of these being Camp Collins at Laporte.

With the increased traffic through the area, Larimer County could not hlep but attract permanent settlers. The soldiers and travelers needed food and supplies, as did the still not too distant miners to the south. Business was good for both farmers and merchants. Rich land, a healthy climate, and spectacular scenery all played their roles in attracting newcomers. Even many of the soldiers whose duty sent them to Camp Collins ended up staying or returned to settle here at a later date.

After the Civil War ended, a great railway was planned to tie East and West together, the Transcontinental Railroad. Denver, severely disappointed that the route chosen for the new railroad failed to pass through that city, soon built a connecting rail, straight up through Larimer County into Cheyenne.

In 1864 Camp Collins had been destroyed by flood, so the military prudently moved it to a new, higher location a few miles downstream, upgrading the name to Fort Collins along the way. The post was abandoned in 1866, but by that time enough of a community had grown up around it that the village continued to thrive after the military left. The town grew so fast that by 1868 they managed to wrest the position of county seat away from Laporte.

Larimer County in the 1860s and 1870s was dominated by the open range cattle industry and a growing number of small farmers, mostly along the waterways. Irrigation ditches were dug, stemming out from the Thompson and Poudre Rivers, and reservoirs were constructed to better control the flow of water. Soon the southeastern corner of the county was dominated by small farms, while the northern foothills remained predominantly cattle country. Hopeful prospectors combed the mountains, but found little mineral wealth. They were looking for gold midst beautiful scenery, not realizing the scenery was worth more than gold.

One of the first tourists to come into the mountainous part of the county looking only for adventure, was Miss Isabella Bird, who wrote of her experiences in A Lady's Life in the Rockies. Also attracted by the scenery, and wildlife, was Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quinn, the 4th Earl of Dunraven, who sought to establish a hunting lodge and reserve in the English style at Estes Park.

The 1880s and 1890s brought steady growth and greater diversification to the county. The open range cattle industry lost some if its momentum as more land passed into private ownership, and fences started going up. Unusually sever blizzards in the winter of 1886/87 killed much of the livestock on the range, further exacerbating an already deteriorating situation.

In southern Larimer County innovative agriculturalists began experimenting with fruit trees, which if they could be bred to be hardy enough to withstand the cold winter temperatures, could be expected to thrive in the sunny summer weather. An agricultural State Land Grant college was founded in Fort Collins before there was even a high school there. Local farmers also branched out into a greater variety of vegetable crops, in addition to the traditional grains.

In time, even a little gold was found in the mountains, though the mines were short lived. The hogbacks behind Fort Collins and Loveland were found to be a good source for sandstone, and so another mineral based industry was born. Some coal was also mined, though it was not of top quality.

With the turn of the century came a new prosperity to Larimer County. Sugar factories were built in Loveland and Fort Collins, and sugar beets became a major crop. The relatively mild climate was found conducive to the winter feeding of sheep. Fruit orchards, especially cherry trees, were established in large numbers. A luxurious resort hotel was built in Estes Park and the tourist industry boomed.

Horses had to share the road with those noisy new automobiles. Electric power plants were built and city homes came aglow with electric light. Some folks even got phonograph machines and began listening to recorded music. The times certainly were a-changing.

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