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- 4 <br />Table 1: Previously recorded cultural resources in the project area. <br />Site Number T e EG 'bili <br />SDT1326 Prehistoric open lithic Need data <br />SGN254 Oliver Mine Complex Need data <br />SGN266 Euro-American sheep camp <br />& prehistoric lithic scatter Need data <br />SGN1494 Historic survey mazker Not eligible <br />SGN1560 Town of Somerset; <br />Cemetery Eligible <br />SGN2626 Isolated Find Not eligible <br />SGN2627 Isolated Find Not eligible <br />SGN4231 Prehistoric open camp Need data <br />SGN4232 Prehistoric open camp Not eligible <br />SGN4233 Isolated Find Not eligible <br />SGN4234 Isolated Find Not eligible <br />Regional archaeological studies suggest neazly continuous human occupation of west- <br />central Colorado for the past 12,000 years. Evidence of the Paleoindian Era, Archaic Era, <br />Formative Era, and Protohistoric Era has been found in the area. An overview of the <br />prehistory is provided in a document published by the Colorado Council of Professional <br />Archaeologists' entitled Colorado Prehistory: A Context for the Northern Colorado Plateau <br />(Reed and Metcalf 1999) as well as in the book The Archaeology of Colorado (Cassells <br />1997). <br />Historic records indicate occupation or use of the region by Euro-American explorers, <br />trappers, settlers, miners, and ranchers. Significantly, the Spanish expedition of Dominguez <br />and Escalante, which passed along the western boundary of the study area along Hubbard <br />Creek in 1776, was the first Eum-American incursion into the area Removal of the Utes in <br />1881 allowed for agricultural development, railroad construction, and permanent settlement <br />in the valley of the North Fork of the Gunnison. By the mid-1880's this alluvial valley had <br />been found suitable for fruit growing. Valley hay production combined with summer range <br />in the surrounding mountains aided the establishment of a prosperous livestock industry until <br />6 <br />