Colorado—The Bright Romance of American History

In Short

F. C. Grable offers an expansive popular history tracing Colorado's development from pre-historic origins and sixteenth-century Spanish expeditions through nineteenth-century American exploration, pioneer settlement, and eventual statehood. The book chronicles the transformation of the region by examining the key figures who traversed its terrain, including Spanish conquistadors, American military surveyors, trappers, mountain men, and gold seekers. It survives as a classic example of early twentieth-century popular historiography, characterized by romantic prose, regional pride, and a view of Western expansion as an inevitable step in civilizational evolution.

The Story

The narrative opens by framing the birth of Western American history within the context of European maritime expansion. Following the voyages of Columbus, Spanish explorers turned their eyes to the mysterious lands north of New Spain. In 1540, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led a grand expedition into the interior, lured by tales of vast wealth and golden cities reported by earlier travelers and clergy like Fray Marcos. Instead of rich empires, Coronado encountered endless plains, massive herds of bison, and semi-nomadic indigenous tribes like the Querechos. This early Spanish chapter left deep cultural footprints in the region—including the settlement of Santa Fe—even as the Spanish Crown ultimately failed to establish a permanent colonial grasp over the fierce, unyielding northern tribes such as the Apaches and Comanches.

Alongside this Spanish legacy, the narrative examines the enigmatic remains of ancient cliff dwellers in the San Juan and San Mancos river canyons. These pre-historic agriculturalists built elaborate stone fortresses and complex irrigation systems before vanishing, leaving behind unanswered questions about their origin and fate.

American interest in the territory accelerated following the Louisiana Purchase. Lieutenant Zebulon Pike headed west to explore the boundary regions of the new acquisition, leading his men through freezing winter conditions, mapping the Rocky Mountains, and enduring capture by Spanish dragoons who escorted him deep into Mexico for interrogation. Fourteen years later, Major Stephen Harriman Long led a government-sponsored scientific expedition across the plains to survey the land between the Mississippi River and the Rockies, further mapping the uncharted territory.

The middle section shifts to the era of mountain men, trappers, and early trailbreakers. Figures like Christopher "Kit" Carson and Oliver P. Wiggins navigated the wilderness, while John C. Frémont conducted multiple expeditions to map routes like the South Pass, naming mountain peaks and recording altitudinal data. These explorers paved the way for permanent settlers, represented by pioneers like "Uncle Dick" Wootton, who built Denver's first two-story log house before retreating further into the mountains to operate a toll road along the Santa Fe Trail.

The discovery of gold in 1859 transformed the solitary frontier into a bustling destination. Figures like William N. Byers arrived via ox team to establish communities and document the region's explosive growth. Despite an initial attempt by early settlers to organize the unrecognized "Jefferson Territory," formal political identity arrived in 1861 when Colorado was officially established as a United States territory amidst the backdrop of the American Civil War, setting the foundation for its eventual rise as a prosperous state.

How It Unfolds

The Spanish quest begins Driven by rumors of gold and vast empires in the unknown North, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado leads a Spanish expedition into the interior plains, encountering vast bison herds and indigenous tribes instead of golden cities.

Traces of an ancient past The narrative explores the mysterious, abandoned cliff dwellings and stone fortresses of Southwestern Colorado, contemplating the agricultural sophistication and sudden disappearance of its prehistoric inhabitants.

Pike's hazardous trek Lieutenant Zebulon Pike navigates uncharted wilderness and severe winter conditions to map the disputed boundary of the Louisiana Purchase, resulting in his arrest and detainment by Spanish military authorities in Santa Fe and Chihuahua.

Scientific mapping under Long Major Stephen H. Long leads a federal steamboat and overland expedition to survey the vast plains and river systems between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains.

Pathfinders and mountain men Explorers like John C. Frémont and legendary scouts like Kit Carson chart trails across the Rockies, recording mountain altitudes and establishing routes for future westward migration.

The gold rush and settlement Prospectors and pioneers flood the region in 1859, founding early settlements like Denver, extracting placer gold from mountain streams, and establishing newspaper enterprises and trade networks.

Territorial birth In 1861, surrounded by neighboring territories that cede portioned lands, Colorado officially organizes as a United States territory under its first governor, William Gilpin.

The People

• Francisco Vasquez de Coronado: A wealthy Spanish noble and ambitious military officer who leads a massive 1540 expedition into the Great Plains; he seeks golden empires but finds endless prairies and native tribes, ultimately returning with faded dreams of conquest.
• Zebulon Pike: A brave and resilient American military officer who leads an exploratory party into the Rocky Mountains; despite suffering extreme cold, losing men to frostbite, and being arrested by Spanish forces, he stubbornly defends his nation's territorial interests.
• John C. Frémont: An energetic officer and explorer who conducts scientific expeditions across the West, mapping critical passes, recording mountain altitudes, and publicizing paths for pioneer migration.
• "Uncle Dick" Wootton: A rugged, independent pioneer who builds early structures in Denver, but flees growing settlement to operate a mountain toll road where he can live under the quiet stars.
• Oliver P. Wiggins: A six-foot-three scout and veteran of the plains who survives into old age as a living memory of the early mountain-man era.
• William Gilpin: A well-traveled military officer, lawyer, and companion of Lincoln who advocates for Western development in Washington and becomes Colorado's first territorial governor.
• George Francis Train: An eccentric, self-made merchant and shipping magnate who helps drive frontier enterprise and infrastructure development.

In Its Own Voice

"After nine days march I reached some plains so vast that I did not find their limit anywhere that I went..."

In a letter sent to the King of Spain in 1541, Coronado describes the overwhelming scale of the North American plains and the endless herds of bison encountered by his party.

"No, before they should be left, I would for months have carried the end of a litter in order to secure them the happiness of once more seeing their native homes..."

Lieutenant Pike records his emotional determination in his journal, refusing to abandon his frostbitten soldiers in the frozen wilderness of the Rocky Mountains.

"He bathes in nature's basin--golden basin; that which a King might envy him--the stream, the rushing, tumbling stream, clear, cold and pure..."

The author characterizes the solitary, unpretentious lifestyle of the mountain prospector searching for placer gold along untamed streams.

What It's Really About

Beneath its narrative of exploration, the book is an examination of historical continuity and inevitable civilizational movement. It presents human history as an ongoing evolutionary cycle where older empires and cultures gradually yield to newer forms of societal organization. The text contrasts the centralized, plunder-seeking motives of imperial Spain with the agrarian, self-governing ethos of Anglo-American pioneers. It highlights how physical geography—its towering mountains, broad rivers, and harsh climate—shapes the character of the individuals who attempt to master it. Ultimately, the work asserts that true history is found in the personal biographies of ordinary pathfinders, scouts, and settlers whose collective labor established a modern civilizational foundation in the remote West.

Why Read It Today

This volume appeals to readers of regional history, Western Americana, and historical historiography who appreciate a warm, narrative-driven chronicle of frontier development. Reading the book feels like sitting with an enthusiastic local historian who blends firsthand primary sources—such as Coronado's letters and Pike's personal journals—with expressive, reflective commentary.

Modern readers should be aware of the period attitudes reflected throughout the text. Written in the early twentieth century, the book displays an unabashedly romantic view of American expansionism and manifest destiny. Its depictions of Native American tribes and African historical figures rely on racial generalizations typical of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century literature, treating the displacement of indigenous populations as an unavoidable outcome of historical progress. Despite these dated perspectives, the book remains a compelling artifact of how early historians framed the romance, hardship, and dramatic scale of Colorado's frontier origins.