Elyria-Swansea in Denver in Denver County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Platte River Trail

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 7, 2022

1. Platte River Trail Marker

Inscription. This memorial is the
property of the State of Colorado
———
Commemorating the route of the
Platte River Trail
principal route of Colorado pioneers
trail of Major S.H. Long in 1820
trappers’ trail of 1830s and 1840s
the 1858-9 route of goldseekers with
pick and pan, homeseekers in covered
wagons, bullwhackers with ox teams,
stagecoaches with treasure and mail.
The path that became an empire.
———
Erected by
The State Historical Society of Colorado
from the Mrs. J.N. Hall Foundation
and by State Civil Service Employees of Colorado
1932

Erected 1932 by State Historical Society of Colorado; Mrs. J.N. Hall Foundation; and State Civil Service Employees of Colorado.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Colorado - History Colorado series list.

Location. 39° 47.484′ N, 104° 57.562′ W. Marker is in Denver, Colorado, in Denver County. It is in Elyria-Swansea. Marker is at the intersection of Brighton Boulevard (State

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Highway 265) and York Street, on the right when traveling north on Brighton Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Denver CO 80216, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Civil War Artillery (approx. 3.1 miles away); Red Light District Market Street (approx. 3.2 miles away); Blake Street Area (approx. 3.2 miles away); The House of Mirrors (approx. 3.2 miles away); Merchandise Mart (approx. 3.3 miles away); The Reverend Yoshitaka Tamai (approx. 3.3 miles away); Windsor Farm Dairy Building / The Crocker Cracker Factory (approx. 3.3 miles away); 18th St. Atrium / Littleton Creamery Beatrice Cold Storage Warehouse (approx. 3.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Denver.

Also see . . . Long's Expedition of 1820.

The Stephen H. Long Expedition of 1820 traversed America's Great Plains and up to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was the first scientific party hired by the United States government to explore the West. Lewis and Clark (1803–1806) and Zebulon Pike (1805–1807) explored the western frontier but they were primarily military expeditions. On June 30, the expeditionary force saw a thin blue line on the horizon. They had their first view of the Rocky Mountains near what is now Bijou Creek in Fort Morgan. One peak, higher than the others, was
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 7, 2022

2. Platte River Trail Monument
later named Longs Peak for their leader. Following South Platte into Waterton Canyon (Platte Canyon, southwest of present Denver, Colorado), the men camped for several days to study and record their findings in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

(Submitted on August 9, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Platte River Trail Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 7, 2022

3. Platte River Trail Monument

(looking southwest • York Street on left • Brighton Boulevard on right)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 9, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 154 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 9, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.