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<br />BACKGROUND INFORMATION <br /> <br />'> <br /> <br />SETTLEMENT <br />The settlement of Colorado essentially began in 1540 when <br />Don Francesco De Coronado and his party entered the region. These <br />Spaniards found many tribes of Indians. The Ute, Arapahoe, and <br />Cheyenne Indian Tribes resided In the mountain areas and on the <br />plains to the east. Later, in 1806 and In 1820, respectively, <br />Zebulon Pike and Stephen H. Long explored the area, each discover- <br />ing a mountain peak that today bears their name. Fur traders and <br />mountain men also explored the area in the early 1800's contribut- <br />Ing to the eventual settlement of the area. The search for wealth <br />and status, however, brought on by the gold rush of 1858 contrib- <br />uted most to settlement of Colorado. This rush brought not only <br />gold seekers but merchants, farmers, and ranchers who established <br />permanent settlements. <br /> <br />.1 <br /> <br />The first permanent settler was Mariano Modena who set- <br />tled near present day Loveland In 1858. By 1860, several families <br />had settled In the Thompson val ley primarily raising cattle and a <br />few crops. In 1867, Irrigation began with the construction of the <br />first major ditch to divert water from the Big Thompson River. <br />Rai I road service to the area began In 1877 when the Colorado Central <br />Rai I road completed a rail line from Golden, Colorado to Cheyenne, <br />Wyoming. The addition of railroad facilities added to the pros- <br />perity of the val ley. By 1901, se~eral manufacturing companies <br />were operating in the area. These included a sugar beet processing <br />factory, fruit and vegetable canning, a flour mill, a grain ele- <br />vator, a stone quarry, and a plaster mill. <br /> <br />The present day area In the vicinity of the Big and Little <br />Thompson Rivers is primarily devoted to agriculture. However, due <br />