Ranching and Farming

Ranching and Farming. . , Although some American Indian groups practiced farming and gardening about 2000 years ago, it was not until after the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848, the 1858 Colorado Gold Rush, and the Homestead Act of 1862 that immigrants moved into the region and created a strong demand for both produce and livestock. Farming and ranching flourished. , From 1860 – 1890, prospective ranchers quickly claimed the High Plains and developed enormous cattle empires. Some enterprises acquired large tracts through land grants, but most early ranching operations used the open range and established title at a few key points by land grant assignments and inheritance in southeastern Colorado. Hispanic settlers/ranchers introduced sheep while Anglo-American settlers/ranchers brought cattle. , In the early 1900s, the final wave of sod busters plowed large tracts of marginal lands in an attempt to succeed at dry land farming. These methods combined with severe drought led to the devastation of the Dust Bowl years. Along the Arkansas River, farmers installed extensive irrigation systems to water sugar beets, melons, and other crops. Away from the river, many returned to ranching with cattle grazing the land much like bison and other native wildlife had grazed for thousands of years. Farming and ranching remain critical to the economy of this region. , In 1869, three Jones brothers (Stephen, Peyton, and James) drove 1,100 head of Texas Longhorn and Shorthorn cattle into Colorado and established the JJ Ranch. The Jones brothers, like many early cattle operators, controlled a great deal of the public domain by filing on only those parcels that contained access to water. By 1881, the JJ Ranch held title to about 18,000 acres, controlled about 960,000 acres, and owned 55,000 head of cattle., Even during the Dust Bowl, some families were able to keep expanding. Joe and Tillie Autry began running Hereford cattle on 320 acres in the 1930s, and eventually expanded to 20,000 acres.