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Historic Background <br />Historic records suggest occupation or use by EuroAmerican trappers, settlers, <br />miners, and ranchers as well. Overviews of the historical record is found in the Colorado <br />Historical Society entitled Colorado Plateau Country Historic Context (Husband 1984), and <br />in the Bureau of Land Management’s publication Frontier in Transition (O’Rourke 1980). <br />Additional data is found in an historical context published by the Colorado Council of <br />Professional Archaeologists entitled Colorado History: A Context for Historical <br />Archaeology (Church et al. 2007), which will be used as the primary guide for this project in <br />the evaluation of historic sites. <br />The following section provides background information on the Historic aboriginal <br />inhabitants in relation to the early Euro-American exploration and settlement of the area, <br />and details concerning the early explorers, fur trappers, and settlers. Northwestern Colorado <br />has, by virtue of its isolation and inaccessibility, remained on the fringe of Colorado's <br />development as a whole, except for the modern energy development. In the past, the lack of <br />major finds of precious metals, less than glowing reports of the region's prospects from early <br />travelers, troubles with Indians, labor strife, and economic caprice have combined to retard <br />the area's growth. Nevertheless, the history of the region is rich and colorful. <br />Recorded early European presence in the area is limited to the Escalante expedition <br />and the probable influx of French fur trappers. Non-aboriginal activity has been <br />characterized by periods of “boom and bust.” Trapping, hunting in the grand tradition, <br />exploration and tourism, prospecting, agricultural development, coal mining, railroad <br />building, oil production, and modern recreation have all experienced times of modulated <br />growth and decline. <br />Historic Aboriginal Habitation <br />Human activity has been present in the area since prehistoric times, but this <br />occupation has been largely transitory and seasonal: the geography of the region renders it <br />inhospitable at certain seasons of the year, with summers hot and dry in the northwest, <br />snows deep and winters long and cold in the mountains. Nonetheless, use of the area by <br />prehistoric peoples is evident; game is still plentiful and good fishing abounds. Plants and <br />animals were harvested by native populations for their own use and also, in the case of <br />yampa (Perideridia gairdneri) in trade for materials not found locally. There is some <br />disagreement regarding which Indian groups frequented Northwest Colorado, but the <br />dominant group was the Utes (Nunt'z). Shoshone, Gros Ventres, Sioux, Cheyenne, <br />Arapahoe, and Commanche were also known to have visited certain portions of the region at <br />one time or another (Farnham 1841; Fremont 1887). <br />Northwestern Colorado was used by various Indian groups in the historic period. <br />The Red Desert, Laramie Plains, North Park, and the plains of the east via Middle and <br />South Parks provided access to various Indian groups. The presence of Ute Indians in <br />northwestern Colorado is well documented. “The Ute formerly occupied the entire central <br />34