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<br />0;)2 H 6 <br /> <br />was opened to more new settlers. It was believed that the Yampa <br /> <br />Coal fields would provide the basic revenue for the "Moffat Road". <br /> <br />While a coal boom occured in towns like Oak Creek, Phipps burg , <br /> <br />Mount Harris and others, the road was bankrupt by 1909. The pro- <br /> <br />mise of the railroad was never fulfilled. <br /> <br />Another boom during the period was oil. First discovered <br /> <br />in the White River Basin in the 1890s exploitation began near <br /> <br />Rangely in 1902. By 1920, the industry had developed to the point <br /> <br />that numerous oil fields, such as the Hoffat, Illes, Rangely, <br /> <br />Danforth and others were in full production. <br /> <br />Other developments from 1900 on included the creation of <br /> <br />Dinosaur National Monument and later the construction of Highway <br /> <br />40 in 1920 across the region, which provided the first paved roads <br /> <br />in the northwest corner. The park and improved roads brought more' <br /> <br /> <br />tourists into northwestern Colorado. Railroads, auto roads, and <br /> <br />later airplanes all helped to make the northwest more accessible. <br /> <br />In 1917 the last major homestead effort was made north and <br /> <br />west of Craig. This was the Great Divide Homestead Colony Number <br /> <br />One, developed by Volney T. Hoggatt and promoted by the Denver Post. <br /> <br />Hundreds of settlers were lured into the Great Divide area where <br /> <br />they scratched out a living dryland farming until driven out by the <br /> <br />days of the Dust Bowl in the 1930's. This experiment in dryland <br /> <br />homesteading was a failure and it was one of the last booms in the <br /> <br />region. <br /> <br />