Before the volcanic blast that formed these famous mountains, the area was tropical. Dinosaurs roamed the area. Palms and ferns were the flora of the time.
Early cavemen ventured into the US from the land bridge across the Bering Strait connecting present day Russia to Alaska. These people populated the western region of the US and evolved into our Native American founders.
Fast forward thousands of years. Spanish explorers visited the territory in search of gold and other riches.
Next came the French. They were expanding their hold in undiscovered US west of the Mississippi. Then American explorers traveled west to map out their new acquisition from the French, the Louisiana Purchase.
Other Americans moved west from colonial US to find their adventures. Mountain men who ventured into the Colorado territory decided to live in this rugged land. French fur trappers came to the territory for the beaver pelts that were so sought after for hats, coats and furs for rich folks.
A man named Zebulon Pike explored central Colorado and discovered the famous mountain that bears his name. Mr. Pike opened up the Colorado Territory to further exploration. Many were searching for riches just like the Spanish a few hundred years before.
And they found it. The gold rush was on in Colorado. Thousands raced from the east to make their fortune with the slogan "Pikes Peak or Bust" on their lips or painted on their wagons. Towns that you now know today, such as Denver, Aspen, Leadville, were once tent cities set up around gold strikes.
With the fledgling towns established, lawlessness, gambling, houses of ill repute and outlaws invaded the gold rush scene. Many old west legends made Colorado a stopping point on their travels to other parts of the established west.
When the gold finally was mined out, gold miners either left the area to head back east or stayed on the plains of Colorado to farm the land. Some hearty souls joined wagon trains heading west, because our new country was suddenly getting larger and more people were expanding into the territory.
With the influx of these new residents, the original owners of the land, the Native Americans, were being pushed off of their property.
The Indians retaliated against this encroachment and bloody battles between them and the US government occurred.
By the turn of the century, 1899, Colorado was fairly well settled and established as a state. So you can see, in such as short span of time, Colorado was a part of the wild west legend in a very big way.
When you come to visit, think about where you are walking, or the mountains you are taking pictures of.
Hundreds of years ago, the first explorers were looking at exactly the same thing, walking in the same area. Definitely gives you a sense of perspective.
Kabla ya mlipuko wa volkano uliofanyiza milima hiyo maarufu, eneo hilo lilikuwa la kitropiki. Dinosaur walitangatanga katika eneo hilo. Mitende na vichaka vilikuwa mimea ya wakati huo. Watu wa mapema wa mapango waliingia Marekani kutoka kwenye daraja la nchi kavu lililovuka Mlango-Bahari wa Bering, linalounganisha Urusi ya leo na Alaska. Watu hao waliishi katika eneo la magharibi la Marekani na wakawa waanzilishi wetu wa Wenyeji wa Asili wa Amerika. Hebu tuendelee na safari yetu ya maelfu ya miaka. Wachunguzi Wahispania walitembelea eneo hilo wakitafuta dhahabu na utajiri mwingine. Wafaransa wakafuata. Walikuwa wakipanua mamlaka yao katika nchi za Marekani ambazo hazikuwa zimegunduliwa magharibi mwa Mto Mississippi. Kisha wavumbuzi Wamarekani wakasafiri kuelekea magharibi ili kuchora ramani ya eneo lao jipya kutoka kwa Wafaransa, Ununuzi wa Louisiana. Wamarekani wengine walihamia magharibi kutoka Marekani ya kikoloni ili kupata vituko vyao. Watu wa milimani waliojaribu kuingia katika eneo la Colorado waliamua kuishi katika nchi hiyo yenye miamba. Wavuvi wa manyoya wa Ufaransa walikuja katika eneo hilo kwa ajili ya ngozi za beaver ambazo zilitamaniwa sana kwa kofia, makoti na manyoya kwa watu matajiri. Mwanamume aitwaye Zebulon Pike alichunguza sehemu ya kati ya Colorado na kugundua mlima maarufu unaoitwa kwa jina lake. Mheshimiwa Pike alifungua Eneo la Colorado kwa ajili ya uchunguzi zaidi. Wengi walikuwa wakitafuta utajiri kama vile Wahispania walivyokuwa wamefanya mamia machache ya miaka mapema. Na wakapata. Mvua ya dhahabu ilikuwa ikienea sana huko Colorado. "Kutoka mashariki, maelfu ya watu walikimbilia huko ili kupata utajiri, wakiwa na maneno haya kwenye midomo yao au kwenye magari yao: ""Pike's Peak or Bust.""" Miji ya Denver, Aspen, na Leadville ilikuwa ni miji ya hema iliyokuwa ikijengwa karibu na migodi ya dhahabu. Baada ya miji hiyo mpya kuanzishwa, ukosefu wa sheria, kamari, nyumba zenye sifa mbaya, na wahalifu waliingia katika eneo la msukosuko wa dhahabu. Hadithi nyingi za zamani za magharibi zilifanya Colorado kuwa kituo cha kusimamisha safari zao kwenda sehemu nyingine za magharibi iliyoanzishwa. Mwishowe, dhahabu ilipochimbwa, wachimbaji wa dhahabu waliondoka eneo hilo na kurudi mashariki au wakabaki kwenye nyanda za Colorado ili kulima. Watu wengi waliohudhuria mkutano huo walienda magharibi kwa sababu nchi yetu ilikuwa ikiongezeka na watu wengi walikuwa wakiingia katika eneo hilo. Kwa sababu ya kuwasili kwa wakazi hao wapya, wenyeji wa kwanza wa nchi hiyo, Wenyeji wa Asili wa Amerika, walikuwa wakikimbizwa kutoka kwenye mashamba yao. Wahindi walipiga kisasi dhidi ya uvamizi huo na mapigano ya damu kati yao na serikali ya Marekani yalitokea. Kufikia mwaka wa 1899, Colorado ilikuwa imekaa vizuri na kuanzishwa kama jimbo. Kwa hivyo, kwa muda mfupi, Colorado ilikuwa sehemu ya hadithi ya magharibi mwitu. Unapokuja kutembelea, fikiria mahali unapoenda, au milima unayochukua picha. Karne nyingi zilizopita, watafiti wa kwanza waliona kitu kimoja tu, wakitembea katika eneo moja. Kwa hakika inakupa hisia ya mtazamo.