Near Howard in Fremont County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Lt. Zebulon Pike's Southwestern Expedition
1806-7
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 8, 2020
1. Lt. Zebulon Pike's Southwestern Expedition Marker
U.S. Army Expedition to explore the United States' new southwest boundary with New Spain
The men
Lt. Zebulon M. Pike Dr. John H. Robinson "Baroney" Vasquez Sgt. William Meek Corp. Jeremiah Jackson Privates: John Brown, Jacob Carter, Thomas Dougherty, William Gordon, Hugh Menaugh, Theodore Miller, John Mountjoy, Alexander Roy, Patrick Smith, John Sparks, Freegift Stout
The Expedition:
26th & 27th December 1806 (Pike)
"Marched...to entrance of the mountains...As my boy and some others were sick, I omitted pitching our tent in order that they might have it [for covering]...we were completely covered with snow,...extreme rough road, horses had frequent falls...I am convinced that neither animals nor aborigines ever take this route".
Site of this sign:
Here Pike's journey was treacherous demanding travel on the frozen river. Packs had to be redistributed. Today the canyon has been tamed by modern road and rail and is enjoyed by people in motorized vehicles and all forms of recreational equipment for land and whitewater. Pike's
this page online
Map, center bottom:
At the end of this ill-fated part of the expedition, Pike split up his men to find a way out of the canyon and to keep moving sleds and injured horses. Continuous hunting was also critical. It took 6-7 hard days to reach the area of Caρon City where he had started the northward search for the headwaters of the Arkansas. He was surprised to see he had returned to the same area where he began.
Captions
Map, top center: From the careful logbooks by early explorers like Lewis & Clark and Zebulon Pike, the mapmakers of Washington were kept busy creating new images of the mostly unknown Rocky Mountains. This original map was published in 1807.
November 27th: "The unbounded prairie was overhung with clouds, which appeared like the ocean in a storm..the thermometer..here fell to 4° below 0." 1806 (Pike)
December 25th: "800 miles from the frontiers of our country, in the most inclement season of the year, not one person clothed for the winter, many without blankets..." 1806 (Pike)
Map, right: Lt. Facundo Melgares' Spanish Expeditionary Command Route
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 8, 2020
2. Lt. Zebulon Pike's Southwestern Expedition Marker
Bottom right: Expedition recording equipment similar to Pike's.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Exploration. A significant historical date for this entry is December 26, 1806.
Location. 38° 28.541′ N, 105° 53.184′ W. Marker is near Howard, Colorado, in Fremont County. It is on U.S. 50 0.4 miles east of Swissvale Road, on the left when traveling east. Marker is located on a pullout along the Arkansas River with ample parking. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Howard CO 81233, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Colorado’s Arkansas River Valley and in Pikes Peak Region. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Comancherνa and also the Republic of Texas.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Votes for Women (approx. 6.9 miles away); E. W. Corbin House (approx. 6.9 miles away); Chaffee County Honor Roll Board (approx. 7.1 miles away); The Salida Steam Plant (approx. 7.1 miles away); FIBArk: First in Boating on the Arkansas (approx. 7.1 miles away); Water Use and Water Rights (approx. 7.1 miles away); A Railroad Town (approx. 7.2 miles away); Heart of the Rockies (approx. 7.2 miles away).
Credits. This page was last revised on July 23, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 21, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 522 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 21, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
