Arapahoe County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861. The county name was also spelled Arapaho County, Arapahoe County, Arrapahoe County, and Arappahoe County. The county seat was Denver City.
In July 1858, gold was discovered along the South Platte River in Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory. This discovery precipitated the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. Many residents of the mining region felt disconnected from the remote territorial governments of Kansas and Nebraska, so they voted to form their own Territory of Jefferson on October 24, 1859. On November 28, the General Assembly of the Territory of Jefferson organized 12 counties: Arapahoe County, Cheyenne County, El Paso County, Fountain County, Heele County, Jackson County, Jefferson County, Mountain County, North County, Park County, Saratoga County, and St. Vrain's County. [1] The legislation that created Arapahoe County declared:
That the territory comprised within the following limits, be erected into a county to be called Arappahoe county: commencing at a point where the 40th parallel of north latitude crosses the 104th meridian of west longitude; thence west on said parallel to the centre of the main channel of the south fork of the Platte River, thence upon the main channel of said stream to the mouth of Clear Creek; thence up the main channel of Clear Creek to the mouth of Ralston's Creek; thence in a straight line to a point where Montana Creek joins the main channel of the Platte; thence up the main channel of said stream to the mouth of the canon at the base of the mountains, thence on the main divide between the waters of the Arkansas and the Platte River, to where the 104th meridian of longitude crosses the same, thence north on said meridian to the place of beginning.
Arapahoe County was named for the Arapaho Nation of Native Americans that lived in the region. Denver City served as the county seat of Arapahoe County and was the territorial capital until November 12, 1860.
The Jefferson Territory never received federal sanction, but on February 28, 1861, U.S. President James Buchanan signed an act organizing the Territory of Colorado. [2] On November 1, 1861, the Colorado General Assembly organized 17 counties, including Arapahoe County, for the new Colorado Territory. On November 15, 1902, the State of Colorado split Arapahoe County into three new counties: the City and County of Denver, Adams County, and South Arapahoe County (soon to revert to Arapahoe County).
Arapahoe County's first office holding official was William M. Slaughter, appointed by Governor Robert Williamson Steele in December 1859 as President Judge of Arapahoe County. He was to hold office until the county's first popular election was held on January 2, 1860.
Adams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 519,572. The county seat is Brighton. The county is named for Alva Adams, an early Governor of the State of Colorado in 1887–1889. Adams County is part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 582,910, making it the fourth-most populous county in Colorado. The county seat is Golden, and the most populous city is Lakewood.
Arapahoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, its population was 655,070, making it the third-most populous county in Colorado. The county seat is Littleton, and the most populous city is Aurora. The county was named for the Arapaho Native American tribe, who once lived in the region.
The Territory of Jefferson was an extralegal and unrecognized United States territory that existed from October 24, 1859 until the creation of the Colorado Territory on February 28, 1861. The Jefferson Territory, named for Founding Father and United States president Thomas Jefferson, included land officially part of the Kansas Territory, the Nebraska Territory, the New Mexico Territory, the Utah Territory, and the Washington Territory, but the area was remote from the governments of those five territories.
Jefferson County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861. Its territory covered a broad swath surrounding the region of the Pike's Peak Gold Rush, and was a functioning democratically elected government until the organization of the Territory of Colorado in 1861. At that time, the successor Jefferson County was permanently created, taking its name from its predecessor and incorporating the heart of its territory.
Arapahoe County was a county of Kansas Territory in the United States that existed from August 25, 1855, until Kansas's admission into the Union on January 29, 1861.
El Paso County was a county of the United States Territory of Kansas that existed for two years from February 7, 1859, to January 29, 1861.
Montana County was a county of the United States Territory of Kansas that existed from February 2, 1859 to January 29, 1861, when Kansas joined the Union as a state.
Oro County was a county of the United States Territory of Kansas that existed from February 7, 1859 to January 29, 1861, when Kansas joined the Union as a state.
Cheyenne County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.
El Paso County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861. The county seat was Colorado City.
Fountain County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.
Heele County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861. It may also have been known as Steele County.
Jackson County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.
Mountain County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.
North County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.
Park County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.
This is an alphabetical list of articles related to the U.S. State of Colorado.
St. Vrain's County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.
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