Grand Opening! Colorado Springs (take 2)

By Tiffany Amber Stockton

Last month, I have no idea how it happened, but the main blog content from January got posted with my February blog instead of the content I prepared. My sincere apologies for that. What should have been an introductory post about the history of Colorado Springs ended up being a repeat of entrepreneurs founding America. If you missed that post in January, you can read it again here (winks): https://www.hhhistory.com/2020/02/grand-opening-colorado-springs.html.

Now, let's get on with what *should* have been posted last month.

My very first book series highlighted pioneers in America and their refusal to give up, no matter the circumstances. The same can be said of anyone establishing a new town or city. Since I have been living in Colorado Springs for more than a decade, I've been itching to explore the rich history right here. So, here we go!

COLORADO SPRINGS: GRAND OPENING

The 14,115 foot mountain called Pike's Peak has long been the focal point of everyone who lives in what is now the Colorado Springs area. The oral tradition of the Ute people call it Tava – or "Sun Mountain" – for the way it collects and reflects the morning's rays. The Spanish, who settled in northern New Mexico and explored the area beginning in the 16th century, called it "Almagre" for its vibrant red coloring.

The first American official to encounter the mountain was Zebulon Montgomery Pike, a young army lieutenant, who was dispatched to survey the southwestern boundary of the newly acquired Louisiana Territory -- thanks to Lewis and Clark. When he first saw the mountain looming in the distance, Pike named it Grand Peak. Deep snow prevented him from reaching the summit on his first attempt, but in 1810, he published the account of his expedition and literally "put the mountain on the map." As a result, his name is forever attached to the peak.

The discovery of gold spurred the first permanent settlement in the region. In 1859, Colorado City was established at the lower end of the Ute Pass trail. The rugged and wild supply camps sold goods and equipment to eager miners on their way west. Old Colorado City is still a distinctive community on the west side of Colorado Springs. It is an historic district with its own personality, quirky shops, and unique restaurants. It survives as a living legacy of the region's frontier spirit, and every year that legacy is celebrated with the annual Territory Days during Memorial Day weekend.

The Colorado Springs that exists today sprang from the imagination of General William Jackson Palmer, a Civil War hero and railroad magnate. He established Colorado Springs on July 31, 1871. Palmer had a distinct plan right from the start, to use the area’s enticing scenery, nearby mineral springs, and other amenities to attract residents to a "resort" town. He laid out the broad streets, hauled in 10,000 trees to make the city green and lush, and built lavish, European-style buildings.

Unlike a lot of other "boom" towns that happened due to miners seeking gold, Colorado Springs actually attracted wealthy residents, capitalists, intellectuals, artists, writers, and inventors right from the start. It served as a destination for tens of thousands of health seekers hoping the community's abundant sunshine and fresh air would cure tuberculosis. After the 1891 discovery of gold in Cripple Creek, just to the west of Pikes Peak, even more wealth came to Colorado Springs. For a time, the city had more millionaires per capita than any other place in the U.S.

Today, entrepreneurs and visionaries are still adding intricate layers to the economy here. Colorado Springs is at the same time an art colony, college town, military installation, destination for the high-tech industry, and home to the U.S. Olympic Committee headquarters. Yet, at the heart of it all, you can still find remnants of Palmer's healthful, attractive, community with an extensive park system, trails galore, red sandstone spires, and that ever-present feature mountain.

As Matt Mayberry (Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum, 2008) wrote: "The Pikes Peak region is a cultural and geographic confluence. It's where the mountains meet the plains, where the Southwest joins the heartland, where ancient cultures converge with 21st century society, and where the past informs the future. For some, it's stirring enough to inspire poetry."

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* What might be a reason YOU would have traveled west to uncharted territory?

* If you had been one of the first people to discover the natural hot springs in this region, what would you have done?

* Have you ever visited Colorado Springs or anywhere in Colorado? Where and when?

* What did you like the most about today's post? What topics would you like to see covered in future posts?

Leave answers to these questions or any comments you have on the post below. Come back on the 9th of April (my son's birthday) for my next appearance.

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those childhood skills to become an award-winning and best-selling author and speaker who is also an advocate for literacy as an educational consultant with Usborne Books. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help better their lives.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children and two dogs in Colorado. She has sold twenty (21) books so far and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

Pocket Pistols

by Linda Farmer Harris

Now, before you gasp and think, "Oh, no, gun control..." just remember this is a research blog where we explore many topics to ensure our stories are as historically accurate as they are enjoyable to read.

That said, let's dig a little into what pistol our frontier heroine could slip in her pocket or reticule to protect herself against the villain or slithery things on the trail.

It's 1849 and our adventurous heroine must conceal carry. What's a girl to do? She may have yards and yards of clothing, but is it suitable for packing heat? She could wear a shoulder holster—a bit unladylike, slip it in her pocket, or put it in her handbag. She could resort to a stocking gun that could be held in a holster in her stocking. If belts were in style, she could have a hand-tooled belt with a hidden derringer. Don't forget boot tops. Winter weather wasn't a deterrent because she could carry it in her muff.

Vintage Crochet Square Motif Reticule

The Ladies' Muff Protector - courtesy of ctmuzzleloaders.com

Pocket pistol is an American reference to any small pocket-sized handgun such as a derringer or small caliber revolver. It was common for men to conceal carry in a front or rear trousers pocket, waistband, or in an exterior coat pocket. Less caliber pistols are referred to as mouseguns.

Courtesy of Bond Arms, Inc.

Ladies traditionally preferred the .41 caliber Derringer. Philadelphia designer Henry Deringer (note single "r") was a famous 19th-century maker of small pocket pistols. His original Deringer was a black powder, single-shot, muzzleloading pistol. In total, approximately 15,000 Deringer pistols were manufactured. 

Sadly, the most famous Deringer was fired by John Wilkes Booth to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. The Deringer was popular in the South and in California during the era of the Gold Rush.

Soon gun makers worldwide imitated Deringer's pistol, and misspelled Henry's last name. With the double "r", it became an alternative generic term for any pocket pistol, or palm pistol. Therefore, a derringer is considered the smallest usable handgun of a given caliber.

Remington Vest-Pocket Pistol

Our heroine had to keep a cool head, have a snag free place to hide her pistol, and realize she had one shot and it was going to be up close and personal when she fired. 

Elizabeth Servaty Topperweins - courtesy of historybyzim.com

Hopefully, you don't have feel completely dressed unless you are carrying a gun. But, if you were our 1849 heroine, where would you hide your pistol?

Blessings,

Linda "Lin" Farmer Harris

Lin and her husband, Jerry, live on a ranch in Chimney Rock, Colorado. She writes historical fiction for adults and children. Her novella The Lye Water Bride is included in the California Gold Rush Romance Collection (Barbour Publishing, 2016).

Turning Tidbits of History into Unforgettable Stories

Pattern for the Vintage Crochet Square Motif Reticule

available at GrandmothersPatternBook.com

http://grandmotherspatternbook.com/?p=2283

Pikes Peak or Bust - Gold Rush in Colorado Rockies

By Tiffany Amber Stockton

Last month, I shared about silver mining in southwestern Colorado and how some mines produced coins uniquely marked and traceable back to that specific mine. This month, it's a discovery of gold in the Colorado Rockies in the mid-1800s and the Colorado Gold Rush of 1859.

Nearly everyone has heard of the "famous 49ers" and the California Gold Rush. No less significant is the "Pikes Peak or Bust" slogan and the Colorado Gold Rush of 1859. I first heard of this through the TV show, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, in the 1990s. Once I moved here in 2007, I did more research as part of the building of my Colorado history folders. Who knows where all this research will enter my books, but you can bet it will. :)

As far back as 1835, a French trapper discovered gold in the area, but after taking it back to New Mexico for examination, he forgot where had found the gold and failed at leading anyone else back there. A critical lapse in memory caused the gold rush in Colorado to occur a decade *after* the famous rush in California. Makes me wonder what would have happened with the USA had the rush occured in Colorado first. Of course, what gold some found failed to impress those with visions of unlimited wealth in California, so it might not have changed anything. Still can't help but wonder!

Once the thrill of the California rush waned, folks started heading back home. Rumors of the gold in the Rockies led several parties to journey to what is today known as Denver and surrounding suburbs. By 1860, Denver City, Golden City, and Boulder City were substantial towns serving the mines. Today, the "city" has been dropped, and those cities are Denver, Golden, and Boulder. The rapid population growth led to the creation of the Colorado Territory in 1861.

The Pike's Peak Gold Rush sent everyone into a frenzy. Anyone who could afford it packed up their belongings and headed out to Colorado. They gathered their supplies, wagons, mules, mining equipment, anything they could think of to sustain them when they arrived at their destination. As soon as the spring of 1859 came around, people were in a race to get to Pike's Peak. That's where the "Pikes Peak or Bust" slogan originated. Some even painted it on the sides of their wagons!

Colorado produced 150,000 ounces of gold in 1861 and 225,000 troy ounces in 1862, leading Congress to establish the Denver Mint, which is one of only two mints in the US today. You can see which mint produced the coins in your wallet or pocket by looking for a "D" or a "P" on them.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

Have you ever packed up everything and headed away from all you've known in search of something potentially bigger? What was it? Was it worth it?

If you had lived during the time of the gold rush frenzy, would you have joined the thousands of others heading west in search of gold? Why or why not?

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those childhood skills to become an award-winning author and speaker who has partnered with Nerium International in the whole body anti-aging industry, helping others look younger, function with optimal brain health, and live better.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Colorado. They have one girl and one boy, a Retriever mix named Roxie and and Australian cattle dog named Timber. She has sold seventeen (17) books so far and is represented by agent Sandra Bishop of the TransAtlantic Agency. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.