Antique Maps and Prints of Historic Colorado, with a brief History, Topography, Climate and Population.

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We supply genuine historical maps and prints by mail order - all are eminently suitable for framing and are offered On Approval, which

This short REFERENCE PAGE is designed to provide no more than a 'glimpse' of the history of Colorado,
with a couple of examples of antiquarian maps and engravings of the State and some interesting Links.

This Page is provided as a REFERENCE RESOURCE - it is NOT an Inventory.
Genuine original antiquarian maps and authentic historical engravings, printed at the dates stated.
We do NOT deal in modern reproductions.

Topography: Colorado has an average length east and west of 380 miles; a breadth of 280 miles; and an area of 103,925 square miles, or 66,512,000 acres, divided into thirty-nine counties.

There are still unsurveyed 40,657,679 acres. It consists of three natural divisions; the mountain range, the foot-hills and the plains. The Rocky mountains run north and south through the centre of the State and consist of three parallel ranges, with many peaks over 13,000 feet high.

Within the space inclosed by these immense mountains are the "Parks," which constitute the most remarkable natural feature of Colorado. These consist of extensive plateaus at an elevation of 9,000 to 10,000 feet above the sea level, hemmed in on all sides by the mountains, and containing some valuable agricultural land.

The plains occupy the eastern part of the State, and comprise about one-third of its area. The great "divide" traverses Colorado northwest and southeast, separates the waters of the South Platte and Arkansas, and forms the water-shed of many of their tributaries.

Colorado has numerous streams, the principal ones being the North and South Platte, and the Arkansas, Snake, White and Green rivers, most of which flow through rocky cañons and are not navigable.

The South Platte has a fall of 6,000 feet between Montgomery and Denver, and one of the canons of the Arkansas is 1,500 feet in depth. The Rio Grande del Norte rises in the Saguache range of mountains, and flows south through the San Luis park, but the Colorado river can scarcely be considered as belonging to the State from which it derives several of its principal tributaries, and to which it gave a name.

Climate: The air is drier and the range of temperature less than in the Eastern States in the same latitude. The winters are mild, the summers cool and bracing, and the mean annual temperature is about 49° Fahrenheit.

The rainfall ranges from fifteen to twenty inches annually, and most of it falls between May and July. On the mountains the winters are as a rule severe, with heavy falls of snow in November and December, but on the plains and in the valleys the mildness and purity of the atmosphere are such as to render Colorado the paradise of invalids, thousands of whom re-sort there.

Heavy wind storms are common, but cloudy and foggy weather is unknown, and snow seldom remains more than twenty-four hours on the ground, except upon the mountains, many of which reach above the snow line.

History: Colorado, the youngest of the thirty-eight States, was admitted into the Union Aug. 1, 1876, under an act passed March 3, 1875. Its organization as a Territory was effected in February, 1861, when parts of Kansas, Nebraska, Utah and New Mexico were set off to form the new district.

Part of this Territory bad been acquired by conquest from Mexico, and the remainder formed a part of the Louisiana purchase. It was known to the early Spanish settlers, and an expedition was sent out from Sinaloa, Mexico, over three centuries ago, for the purpose of exploration.

The first American expedition was that under the command of Major Z. M. Pike, in 1806, when the mountain region was partially explored, and the mountain named Pike's Peak discovered.

Col. S. H. Long visited the Territory fourteen years later, and, in 1842-44, the "Pathfinder," Gen. John C. Fremont, made his celebrated journey across the Rocky mountains.

The first settlements were made in 1858-59, by miners, gold having been discovered in what is now Gilpin county, and within a few miles of Denver. From 1860 to 1862 the stream of immigration continued, and towns and cities grew up around the mines.

In 1863-64 the Indians caused a good deal of trouble to the settlers, and the Civil war drew off many of the adventurous spirits to be found among pioneer gold miners-4,903 men enlisting in the Union army - but after 1865 immigration again increased, and the growth of the Territory was rapid.

The energetic measures adopted by the better class of citizens suppressed lawlessness, much in the same way as in San Francisco in its early days, and at the present time Colorado is as well governed and as peaceful as Illinois.

Population: Census of 1880: Males, 129,131; Females, 65,196; Native, 154,537; Foreign, 39,790; White, 191,126; Colored, 3,201, including 612 Chinese, and 154 Indians and Half-breeds.

After very many years in the Trade, I am now retired and the Postaprint Website as such is no longer available.
However this large collection of Reference Pages is being left on line, as we hope you will find them to informative and helpful. They provide details of many of the maps, books and engravings we had the pleasure of dealing in over so many years.
For a complete index of all such Reference Pages PLEASE DO CLICK HERE.
However, my wife has a store on eBay, with many offers of delightful antiquarian maps & prints & engravings.

Specialist mail order suppliers of collectible historical antique maps and engravings.