Early history of Fremont County, Colorado includes Native Americans, such as the Ute people, and later the establishment of the Colorado Territory by European explorers and settlers.
Paleo-Indians came into the Arkansas River ValleyofFremont County, Colorado more than 10,000 years ago and left evidence of their being there for many centuries. About 700 years ago, Ute people inhabited the Cañon City area for centuries. A favored area was Temple Canyon along Grape Creek. Plains tribes, like the Arapaho, Comanche, Kiowa, and Cheyenne, and Pueblo people also visited and hunted in the area. As European American settlers established themselves, the Utes continued to come to the area and had a peaceful existence with its residents. After 1863, the Ute were pushed to the Western Slope and then onto Ute Mountain Indian Reservation in southwestern Colorado in the Four Corners region and the Southern Ute Indian Reservation in southern Colorado.
In 1540, explorer Francisco Vázquez de Coronado claimed the area for Spain. Zebulon Pike explored the Arkansa River area in Colorado in 1806. Part of the Stephen H. Long's Expedition of 1820, included travel from the Canadian River to the Arkansas River. John C. Frémont, whom the county is named after, traveled the Arkansas River area in 1844. On a survey expedition for a railroad in 1848, Frémont traveled to Hardscrabble Creek (near Hardscrabble), Mosca Pass over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, to the San Luis Valley.
The Fort Le Duc trading post was established in the 1830s. From 1844 to 1845, a trading post, an early farming settlement, and cattle ranch supported 70 people at Hardscrabble. European Americans moved into Fremont County in 1859 during the Pike's Peak gold rush.
Starting more than 10,000 years ago, Paleo-Indians (11,500 to 7,500 years ago) inhabited the present-day Cañon City area in Fremont County.[1][2]: 30 Evidence of Paleo-Indians habitation includes fire pits, animal bones, and stone tools, generally projectile points used in hunting.[1] Archaeological sites in Fremont County, particularly around Cañon City, held evidence of Native American habitation, including portable skin tents, wooden articles, hearths, and evidence of stone tool manufacturing.[3] Four Fremont County wilderness areas—Lower Grape Creek, Upper Grape Creek, McIntyre Hills, portions of Beaver Creek—were studied for archaeological evidence of prehistoric life with negligible findings.[2]: 19–23
Ute people inhabited the area 700 years before Europeans appeared.[4][5] They favored the mountains and visited the Arkansas Valley area during seasonal treks to the plains.[5] Utes hunted buffalo,[4] visited the Soda Springs, and camped nearby. They drank the spring water for its healing properties.[6] One of the city's parks, Temple Canyon, about 30 by 70 feet (9.1 by 21.3 m), would have been accessed after a hike along Grape Creek. A legend states that Blackfeet and Ute warriors fought at the canyon to marry a maiden. It is reportedly the site of a battle between U.S. soldiers and Ute people.[7]: 58
The Tabeguache band of the Uncompahgre Utes, including Chief Ouray and Chipeta, spent the winters at Cañon City due to its hot springs and mild weather.[7]: 12, 104 Dakota Hot Springs are located between Cañon City and Penrose.[8] Hot springs are considered sacred to the Utes.[5] As Cañon City was settled, Utes continued to come to the area where they camped. They were on good terms with the settlers.[5] Ute chief Colorow was a friend of Otto Morganstein, the first settler of Red Canyon Park, north of Cañon City.[7]: 59 Ouray had dinners with local residents and was a friend of Richard Houle of Red Canyon.[5]
Plains cultures—including Arapaho, Comanche, Kiowa, and Cheyenne people—visited and hunted the area,[3][9] as did Pueblo people.[4][9]
Fremont County has been a fruit-growing area of Colorado at least since settlement during territorial days,[10]: 37 and perhaps before than when Native Americans managed peach and apple orchards in Colorado for generations, after apples and peaches were brought to the New World by the Spanish conquistadors and missionaries.[10]: 6, 10–11
When European-Americans began to settle in Colorado, Native American peach orchards were destroyed by American armies to starve and displace Indigenous peoples.[10]: 6, 10–11 Following the Tabeguache Treaty in 1863, Utes were moved west of the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains to the Western Slope.[5] Utes were later forcibly removed to reservations: Ute Mountain Indian Reservation in southwestern Colorado in the Four Corners region and the Southern Ute Indian Reservation in southern Colorado.[10]: 37
In 1540, explorer Francisco Vázquez de Coronado claimed the area for Spain. Zebulon Pike explored the Arkansa River area in Colorado in 1806.[4] Pike wrote in his journal about a spring where he built a blockhouse for his company in December that year. The spring is believed to be the Soda Springs that existed in Cañon City.[6] Part of the Stephen H. Long's Expedition of 1820, traveled from the Canadian River to the Arkansas River. John C. Frémont, sent on a series of expeditions from 1842 to 1848 by the United States government, traversed the Arkansas River area in 1844. On a survey expedition for a railroad in 1848, Frémont traveled to Hardscrabble Creek (near Hardscrabble), Mosca Pass over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, to the San Luis Valley. Eleven men were lost in the San Juan Mountains.[11]: 106
Trading posts were established at Fort Le Duc in the 1830s and Hardscrabble, an early farming settlement and cattle ranch to support 70 people who lived in placitas enclosed within an adobe wall, from 1844 to 1845.[4][11]: 118
The Pike's Peak gold rush brought people into Fremont County in 1859. One year later, The Cañon City Claim Club was platted.[4] Using Native American trails, Joseph Lamb created a pack trail between Cañon City and Salida in 1860 to deliver supplies to placer mines. Within a few years, a wagon road was constructed along the Arkansas River between Cañon City and Salida.[11]: 92
