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CHAPTER I <br />A RICH HERITAGE <br />The southeastern corner of the present boundaries <br />of the state of Colorado represents the cradle of civili- <br />zation for a land rich in geological contrasts. Known to <br />both the nomadic and the non - nomadic Indian tribes <br />alike as a well vegetated area, this fertile land served <br />its inhabitants well. Wildlife, such as buffalo, deer and <br />antelope, nourished by the abundant grasses deeply <br />rooted and growing freely on the plains, were plentiful. <br />Entered by the Spaniards in the early 1600's, this <br />rolling prairie at the base of the Rocky Mountains was <br />seen as a potentially rich legacy for those willing to suf- <br />fer the consequences of an unsettled land far away from <br />not only the benefits of city life but family and loved ones <br />as well. Granted, the "Seven Cities of Cibola" were never <br />found, but the treasure was there nonetheless. In 1682 <br />LaSalle proclaimed the Mississippi River Valley to be <br />the property of France. Named Louisiana, this vast wil- <br />derness was relatively uninhabited by white settlers. The <br />Mallet Brothers (Peter and Paul) had earlier entered the <br />San Luis Valley from Santa Fe. In 1739, however, they <br />reached the Arkansas River by way of the Platte River <br />farther north. <br />French traders and trappers would follow, as they <br />saw so many opportunities to make their "fortune" in <br />this vast land. Following the French and Indian War, in <br />1763 France ceded all of its territory west of the Missis- <br />