Birth of a Town

Birth of a Town. . Cries of "gold!" lured countless prospectors to Colorado's Rocky Mountains in 1859. And while miners went bust or hit pay dirt in South Park, Leadville and later Cripple Creek, Colorado City supplied the means to continue the quest. At the base of Pikes Peak Colorado City was a natural stopping place for those headed into the mountains. A steady stream of wagons and pack animals traversed the route, bearing goods to the mining camps., Colorado City was the first town south of Denver to be laid out and platted. That was done by Melancthon S. Beach and Anthony Bott while it was still part of Kansas Territory. By the winter of 1860, not long after the formation of the Colorado City Town Company, there were 300 residents. , In February 1861, Colorado Territory was officially recognized, with Colorado City the commercial and agricultural hub for the newly created El Paso County., Photo captions: , Bottom left: While most searched for gold, there were others who realized the benefits of providing the necessities of life. Within a few months of the gold strikes the bustling town of Colorado City was established to take advantage of the steady stream of prospectors, pack trains and supply wagons passing by. , Top right: The Pikes Peak or Bust Rush began in 1858 when miners found glittering flakes and nuggets of gold in and around present day Denver. The region's most famous mountain became a symbol for over 100,000 "Peakers" looking for riches. , Bottom right: In the late 1800s thousands of miners and merchants made their way up Ute Pass to the newly-discovered silver mines in Leadville.