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.
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: Arrappahoe 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 El Paso County declared:
That the territory comprised within the following limits be erected into a county to be called El Paso county: commencing in the main channel of the south fork of Platte River, at the south west corner of Arrappahoe county, thence easterly on the main divide between the head waters of the Arkansas and Platte Rivers twenty-five miles; thence south seventy-five miles; thence west to the summit of the Rocky Mountains; thence northwardly on the said range to the south Platte River, thence down the main channel of said stream to the place of beginning.
El Paso County was named for the Spanish language name for Ute Pass north of Pikes Peak.
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 El Paso County and Pueblo County, for the new Colorado Territory.
The Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Colorado.
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 third 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.
Broderick County was a county of the United States Territory of Kansas that existed for two years from February 7, 1859 to January 29, 1861. It was named for David C. Broderick, a California senator.
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.
Fremont 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.
Peketon 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.
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.
Cheyenne County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.
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.
Saratoga County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.
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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