Near La Junta in Otero County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
At Home in the Valley
Photographed by Connor Olson, August 30, 2021
1. At Home in the Valley Marker
Native peoples used bison skins to make tepees. These cone-shaped shelters were ideal for a nomadic way of life: strong but lightweight, easy to carry and erect. Warm in winter, open to breezes in the summer, they could also withstand the winds of the Plains.
Eventually, Plains Indian lodges gave way to adobe structures such as Bent's Old Fort. Later in the 19th century, as towns were established in the region, stone became a primary construction material. Many historic stone structures from this era are preserved in the communities of the Arkansas Valley.
Caption: In 1845 and 1846, Lt. James Abert traveled the Southwest on U.S. Army Expeditions, spending time at Bent's Old Fort. He documented his travels with journals, maps and illustrations.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Indigenous Peoples and Communities. A significant historical year for this entry is 1845.
Location. 38° 2.406′ N, 103° 25.432′ W. Marker is near La Junta, Colorado
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the Arkansas River Valley and in the Eastern Plains. It is also in the American Mountain West, on the Great Plains, on the Southern Plains, on the High Plains, and on the Santa Fe Trail Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Comancherνa, the Dust Bowl, and the Republic of Texas.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A Ribbon Across the Plains (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Sheer Abundance to Near Extinction (about 800 feet away); An International River (approx. 0.2 miles away); Edward Dorris (approx. 0.3 miles away); Welcome to the Borderlands (approx. half a mile away); An Adobe Outpost (approx. half a mile away); Mountain Men to Merchants (approx. half a mile away); A Babel-Tongued Multitude (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in La Junta.
Photographed by Connor Olson, August 30, 2021
2. At Home in the Valley Marker
Photographed by Connor Olson, August 30, 2021
3. Tepee at Bents Fort
Credits. This page was last revised on September 3, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2021, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 276 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 2, 2021, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
