A Short History of Colorado

In order to do justice to Colorado's history, we need to go way back before Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to the US for a paltry $15 million in order to settle some of his war debts.

There is evidence of people living in the valleys of the Colorado Plateau in what is now the western part of the state more than 13,000 years ago. Over the ensuing centuries the Ute, Apache, Comanche, Arapaho and Cheyenne Nations have all had a significant presence in the area.

During the 10th century AD, a local people of indistinct origin (referred to by the Navajo simply as the "ancient enemies" or "Anasazi") created spectacular cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, many of which survive to this day.

The Colonial Era

The Spanish first ventured into the area in the early 17th century. The French established a presence at about the same time and by 1682 had declared it part of the new Louisiana Territory. In 1762 the Spanish acquired the Louisiana Territory from the French, only to give it back to them in 1800. But the border shifting didn’t stop there.

In 1803 the US bought the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon, making what is now eastern Colorado an official part of the United States. Southeastern and central Colorado had been claimed by the Republic of Texas for a time. But in 1845 that ended when Texas was formally annexed by the US. 3 years later the western portion of the state was ceded to the US in the Mexican Cession of 1848.

So 1848 marked the first time that all of what would become the state of Colorado was under US control. In 1861 the government created the Colorado Territory and finally, on August 1, 1876, Colorado was admitted to the Union as the 38th state.

The Gold Rush and Beyond

You can’t talk about Colorado history without mentioning the Gold Rush. The Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, as it was originally called, started in 1858 and lasted for about 3 years. During that time it is estimated that more than 100,000 prospectors streamed in from the East in an effort to strike it rich. Some did, most didn’t. But a lot decided to stay.

To meet the housing and material needs of all these new residents both Denver and Boulder were founded and grew quickly. In 1870 the Denver Pacific railroad linked Denver to the rest of the country. As a result, the city's population went from just over 4,000 to more than 35,000 10 years later. By 1900 the population of Denver was more than 130,000, and the city continues to grow rapidly, with the population increasing from 600,000 to more than 715,000 between 2010 and 2020.

Colorado Today

These days Colorado is generally recognized as offering a high quality of life with plentiful work and business opportunities, excellent schools and healthcare and unprecedented recreational opportunities. There are dozens of high-quality ski resorts sprinkled throughout the western portion of the state, with several considered world-class. The Rockies also provide unlimited hiking, camping, mountain biking and other warm weather opportunities.

Retail and Wholesale Colorado Souvenirs and Gifts from Paykoc

At Paykoc we offer a plethora of Colorado gifts that allow you to express your love and appreciation of the Rocky Mountain State. These include scores of glasses and cups emblazoned with the state flag, handmade cotton bags you can use to carry your picnic materials in, backpacks, fanny packs, wooden hiking sticks to help you navigate those high mountain passes and much more.