Park County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.
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 Park County declared:
That the territory comprised within the limits of what is known as the South Park, be erected into a county to be called Park county.
Park County was named for South Park, and encompassed much of what is today Park County, Colorado.
The settlements then existing in the county were the new mining camps of: Tarryall City, Jefferson, Hamilton, Montgomery, and Buckskin Joe (Laurette).
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 Park County, for the new Colorado Territory.
Park County's first office holding official was George W. Bowers, appointed by Governor Robert Williamson Steele in December 1859 as President Judge of Park County. He was to hold office until the county's first popular election was held on January 2, 1860.
The Pike's Peak Gold Rush was the boom in gold prospecting and mining in the Pike's Peak Country of western Kansas Territory and southwestern Nebraska Territory of the United States that began in July 1858 and lasted until roughly the creation of the Colorado Territory on February 28, 1861. An estimated 100,000 gold seekers took part in one of the greatest gold rushes in North American history.
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.
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.
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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