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<br />r <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />r~ <br /> <br />~; <br /> <br />r <br /> <br />,,,- <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />cities in the vicinity of the Forest which depend upon its water supply. <br /> <br /> <br />d. <br /> <br />Infrastructure: <br />The Big Thompson Canyon is served by U.S. Highway #34 connecting with <br />Interstate 25 just east of Loveland. It traverses the Big Thompson Canyon for <br />approximately 25 miles to the City of Estes Park, the east entrance to Rocky <br />Mountain National Park. <br /> <br />e.f,g. Air noise and water pollution levels: <br />The forest is a National Forest protected by the Federal Government and air <br />pollution and noise pollution are minimal. Some sand and silt pollution of the <br />Big Thompson River has occurred since the flood, caused primarily by con- <br />struction equipment excavating and filling in the vicinity of Drake in the main <br />river and the North Fork. It is anticipated that the river will return to its good <br />pre-flood quality when all repairs and replacement construction has been <br />completed, probably some time in the early 1980's. <br /> <br />Overall the existing physical environment is one of natural beauty. As the last <br />remaining signs of the disastrous flood are removed and/or repaired, it appears <br />that the beauty of Big Thompson Canyon will be preserved, if not enhanced. <br /> <br />2. <br /> <br />Existing Social Environment and History: <br />The Big Thompson River was named by David ThompsoN, an English Engineer who <br />established fur trading camps on the river as well as the Little Thompson and Cache <br />La Poudre in 1810. <br /> <br />The first settler of the Big Thompson Canyon is considered to be Louis Papa. He was <br />brought to the Big Thompson in 1858 by his step-father, Mariana Modena and his <br />Indian mother, Marie "John" Papa. His first home was old Fort Namagua three miles <br />west of Loveland on the banks of the Big Thompson River. When his mother and <br />father died, Louis built a cabin farther west up the canyon on a site that is now Viestanz- <br />Smith Mountain Park. It was at this site in 1924 that the Loveland Municipal Power <br />Plant was completed. <br /> <br />During the late 1800's and early 1900's settlement of the canyon steadily grew. Such <br />places as Nugget Springs, Montrose Inn, Cedar Cove, Falls Inn, Rosedale, Half Way <br />Place, Idlewild, Drake, Glen Haven played major roles in the early settlement of the <br />canyon. (Ref. 6). <br /> <br />14 <br />