Near La Junta in Otero County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
An International River
Photographed by Connor Olson, August 30, 2021
1. An International River Marker
Look across the river. When Bent's Old Fort was active, you would be looking into a foreign country. The land on the far side of the river was Mexican territory until ceded to the United States in 1848 after the U.S. - Mexican War.
The Arkansas River was the boundary between other nations as well. The river was the unofficial border between the lands of the Cheyenne and Arapaho (north) and the Comanche and Kiowa (south).
While the Arkansas River served as a boundary between nations, it did not inhibit trade. Rather, the river carved a path for people, goods, and ideas, making Bent's Old Fort a place where peoples and cultures met and mingled through trade.
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: Political Subdivisions • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1819.
Location. 38° 2.333′ N, 103° 25.643′ W. Marker is near La Junta
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 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); At Home in the Valley (approx. 0.2 miles away); Edward Dorris (approx. Ό mile away); Sheer Abundance to Near Extinction (approx. Ό mile away); Mountain Men to Merchants (approx. 0.4 miles away); A Cast of Colorful Characters (approx. 0.4 miles away); An Adobe Outpost (approx. 0.4 miles away); Welcome to the Borderlands (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in La Junta.
Photographed by Connor Olson, August 30, 2021
2. An International River Marker
Photographed by Connor Olson, August 30, 2021
3. The Arkansas River
Credits. This page was last revised on September 8, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 7, 2021, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 259 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 7, 2021, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
