WSP02879 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

001660 territory in 1861 and admitted to the Union in 1876. The hie tory of both the Eastern and Western Slo~es is a saga of the vivid Western frontier. Indians, Coronado's expendition in 1540-1542, tr~ppers, hunters, traders, explorers, minors, and livestock men contributed to the exciting story of the region. The Eastern Slope area north and east of the Arkansas River >iaS aCQuired from France in 1803 by the Louisiana Purchase. That portion south and west of the Arkansas River was firet claimed by Spain, then by Mexico, and later by Texas. The claims of Texas were relincuished after its admittance to the Union in 18l~5. A fortified trading post. was establi.hed at La Junta in 1828, and the city of Pueblo was first established in 1846. With the dis- covery of gold in 1858, and later of silver, a rapid influx of miners, ,prospectl;ds, and others formed the communitiee dependent on and serving the mining industry. This led to the establishment of the livestock and agricul tural industries. The Eastern Slope counties, where agricul ture and some mA.Ilufao- turing are the basic industries, increased steadily in popUlation from 73 ,370 in 1880 to 279,030 in 1930. Because of the "dust bowl II condi- tions and the depression, the population had dropped to 278,700 by 19)m but has since rieen during and following World War II. Pueblo, with a 1940 population of 52,160 is the largest city in the Eastern Slope project area. Surveys by a looal group indicuted that by 1948 the population of Pueblo had increased to approximately 80,000. ColoradO Springs is the second city in size >nth 36,790 population in 1940 and ~6,ooo in 1948 as estimated by local authorities. Many other smaller but important trading and distribution centers are located thrOU&~out the area. 13