Human History of the Poudre Canyon

The Colorado Front Range has been inhabited by humans for thousands of years, with the first inhabitants known as Paleoindians. The Paleoindians are believed to have migrated into the Colorado Front Range around 13,000 to 11,000 years ago during the Late Pleistocene epoch. They likely followed the retreating ice sheets and entered the region in search of game and resources. These early settlers were part of the Clovis culture, named after the distinctive stone tools found at the Clovis site in New Mexico. Other early cultures in the region include the Folsom and Goshen/Plainview cultures, which are distinguished by their unique projectile points and hunting strategies.

The Paleoindians in the Colorado Front Range were primarily hunter-gatherers, relying on the abundant megafauna of the region for their sustenance. Large mammals, such as mammoths, mastodons, bison, and camels, were commonly hunted by these early inhabitants. They used a variety of tools, such as stone projectile points, knives, and scrapers, to process and prepare their food. In addition to hunting, they also gathered plant resources, such as nuts, seeds, and berries, to supplement their diet.

The Paleoindians lived in small, nomadic bands and moved frequently to follow the migratory patterns of the animals they hunted. They likely used temporary shelters made from animal hides and wooden poles, which could be easily dismantled and transported as they moved. Evidence suggests that these early inhabitants also engaged in trade and social interactions with neighboring groups, exchanging goods and materials over long distances.

Archaeological sites in the Colorado Front Range provide crucial evidence of the Paleoindian presence in the region. Several sites, such as the Lindenmeier site, north of Fort Collins, and the Dent site, have yielded a wealth of information about the lifestyle and technology of these early inhabitants. The Lindenmeier site, a Folsom-era site, has provided researchers with important insights into the hunting strategies, tool-making techniques, and social organization of these early people. The Dent site, on the other hand, is notable for the discovery of Clovis points in association with the remains of a mammoth, providing evidence of the hunting practices of the Clovis culture.

The Paleoindians of the Colorado Front Range were resourceful and adaptive, thriving in a landscape that was undergoing significant ecological changes. Through archaeological investigations and the analysis of artifacts, researchers continue to learn more about these early inhabitants, deepening our understanding of their lifestyle, technology, and impact on the region's history.

Early Euro-American Explorers The first European explorers to venture into northeastern Colorado were led by Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez in 1540. However, by the early 1700s, the French began trading with Native Americans in the region, disregarding previous Spanish claims. In an attempt to deter French presence, Pedro de Villasur led a military expedition into northeastern Colorado in 1720. Unfortunately, his party was killed by Pawnee Indians, and French activity only increased. Eventually, the French gained control of the territory through the Treaty of San Ildefonso in 1800. Just three years later, the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory, including present-day Larimer County, from the French.

The Beaver Hat and the Trappers The beaver hat, or "stovepipe" hat, became a fashionable accessory in the early 1800s, driving trappers to explore the newly purchased land in search of pelts. The Cache la Poudre Valley's location made it a popular area for trapping, leading to the naming of local lakes like Trap Lake and Chamber's Lake. The buffalo robe eventually replaced the beaver hat in popularity, and wagons were needed to transport the bulky commodity. This kept the Cache la Poudre Valley popular among mountain men as a pathway and supply center.

The Gold Rush The news of gold discoveries in the Cache la Poudre area brought various parties in search of the precious metal. William Green Russell found a small amount of gold just south of present day Denver. In 1859, large load claims were made in the present day Gilpin, Clear Creek and Boulder Counties and word spread quickly throughout the Nation. It had been estimated that 100,000 gold seekers set out for Colorado in 1859. The influx of prospectors, merchants, and promoters quickly turned Denver into an important regional center. Larimer County served as an important pathway to the gold camps and an important agricultural supply center.

Antoine Janis, like many mountain men who knew the trails and passes of the West, became a guide for prospectors heading for Pike's Peak country. The large numbers of prospectors migrating to the area motivated Janis to further legitimize his initial claim in 1844 by building a cabin on the north side of the Cache la Poudre in 1859. Reportedly the Arapaho Indians agreed to donate to him, Elbridge Gerry and his brother, Nicholas the land from the foot of the mountains to the mouth of Box Elder Creek. You can visit his cabin at the Fort Collins Museum, just one of the many attractions within close proximity to Poudre River Resort.

With the area growing, the settlers brought with them a desire for organized government. In the fall of 1860, a Claim Club was established with rules and regulations for the prospectors and their claims in Cache la Poudre and Big Thompson valleys. In 1861, Congress responded by establishing the Colorado Territory. The first Territorial Legislation Act was to name, Larimer County after Denver's Founder William Larimer in November of 1861. During 1862, the growing conflict between the Euro-Americans and Native Americans was intensifying. This hostility was directed at the Overland Mail and Express Company stage routes. Ben Holliday responded to this hostility by shifting the stage route from following the North Platte Route out of Wyoming to the South Platte Route in Colorado.

Not content with being just a pathway to the gold camps in Denver, Fort Collins businessmen hired 3 experts of mining activities to search Larimer County for precious metals in 1886. By October of that same year, the men located claims in the forested highlands outside Poudre Canyon. In 1887, a town was platted called Manhattan. Many influential people lived among the 300 people residents. Later John Zimmerman along with his brother started to prospect around Cameron Pass.

John decided to take his German process of ore reducing skills that he learned when he worked in Austin City, Nevada and open his own Gold Reducing Stamp Mill in October of 1890. Just 4 days after opening his business and putting through 30,200 pounds of Ore, he stopped the mill so he could gather up the Amalgam and reduced the retorts to an estimated value between $ 1,000 and $2,500. The Larimer County paper concluded that "Larimer County is destined to be the richest mining county in the state" Unfortunately when the retorts were actually tested, it was determined that most of the precious metal was copper, not gold. The next year, John sold his business, but remained in the area taking on other ventures.

In 1891, John was working in the field when he heard a roar up the canyon, instinctively he knew what that sound was and immediately jumped on his horse and covered 3.5 miles to Poudre City to warn then of the approaching waters. All 13 people living at the Mill sight and Poudre City were evacuated. The Mill was lifted off it's foundation and the wall collapsed leaving only the stone chimney as witness to what had happened that day.

Transportation In the early years of freight and mail development along the Poudre, freight, passengers and mail left Fort Collins going North and West through LaPorte following what is now the road to Laramie Wyoming. Coachmen drove their team on a dirt road leading past Ted's Place then turned West at Forks Hotel and went on to Livermore. Livermore, Co was the official U. S. Post Office established in 1871. As the demand for travel increased, so did the number of stage lines. Poudre Canyon had 3 stage lines to handle the mail and freight. The Cheyenne and Black Hills Stage company and the Ogeden and Giddings Stage Lines operated daily. In 1896 Casper Zimmerman started Zimmerman's Stage line which ran 3 days a week.

Laramie-Poudre Tunnel Built between 1909 and 1911, the Laramie-Poudre Tunnel conveyed water from the Laramie River to the Poudre River. After renovation in 2000, it continues to provide irrigation water to farming areas east of Fort Collins.

Baldwin Tunnel Completed in 1916, the Baldwin Tunnel was cut through granite to give Hwy 14 passage by the Cache La Poudre River. The tunnel, named after road construction supervisor Charles Baldwin, was originally 14 feet wide and 12 feet tall.