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The Grand Valley is a beautiful and vibrant area that provides
wonderful learning opportunities in science. Situated along the
Colorado and Gunnison Rivers, the Grand Valley is surrounded by
three major geological features: The Bookcliffs (northwest), Grand
Mesa (east), and Colorado National Monument (southwest). These
natural areas, along with the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers, are
rich resources to learn about ecosystems, biology, and geology.
Along with teaching students to appreciate the scientific opportunities
the Valley offers, it is important that they understand the history
of this region. Much has happened in Mesa County over the ages
to shape the present environment.
Over time, geological events shaped the Valley into what we see
today, although at one time it was vastly different. Large seas
that dried up over time, mountains that uplifted (formed) and
eroded away, lava flows, and climate changes are responsible for
the unique landscape of today. During the late Jurassic Period,
the valley was a large flood plain with lush conifers and cycads
(palm-like plants) over an understory of ferns. This was the time
of dinosaurs like Bracchiosaurus, Apatosaurus, Allosaurus, and
Stegosaurus (the Colorado State Fossil). Remains of these large
creatures can now be found throughout the valley, generally in
the Morrison formation. Their bones have been carefully preserved
throughout the ages because of mud and volcanic activity which
quickly covered and buried their bodies soon after death. Many
locations in the Valley have yielded wonderful samples of dinosaur
skeletons that were probably deposited into ancient lakebeds by
rivers.
Long
after the dinosaurs, the area was home to Fremont Indians who
were most likely the area's first inhabitants. They are speculated
to have occupied the land from about 250 AD to 1300 AD, when they
mysteriously disappeared. Evidence of their existence can be found
in the form of petroglyphs (rock art carvings) and pictographs
(paintings).
After the Fremont left, Ute Indians were the next to call the
Valley their home. They were nomadic hunters who migrated into
this land sometime between 1300 AD and 1500 AD. Quickly after
Spaniards introduced horses to the Native Americans, the Utes
became excellent horsemen and were feared as mighty warriors.
The Domiguez-Escalante expedition explored this region in 1776
and became probably the first Europeans to set foot in this beautiful
desert and mountain land. During the friars' expedition, the Spanish
Crown ruled this area and closed it to exploration by Americans.
In 1821, however, Spain gave up its claim to much of the American
West and the Grand Valley region became part of Mexico. Mexican
officials opened the land up to adventurous mountain men, trappers,
and traders. Along with the mountain men came famous explorers
in the 1820s-1840s like Kit Carson and Antoine Robidoux. Robidoux
built Fort Umcompahgre (then known as Fort Robidoux) near the
present Mesa-Delta County lines.
In
the 1850s, U.S. Army exploration parties lead by Captains John
Gunnison, John C, Fremont, Marcus Whitman, Edward Beale, and others
began exploring this region. Then between 1873 and 1876, the U.S.
Geological Survey mapped the Grand Valley under the direction
of Ferdinand Hayden.
In 1868, a treaty was formed between the U.S. Government and
the Ute Indians that designated the Grand Valley as part of the
Ute reservation. The land here was very desirable to settlers,
though, and pressure was applied to remove the Indians to provide
more land for pioneers.
In 1876, Colorado gained statehood and soon settlers began moving
into the valley. Clashes between the settlers and Native Americans
sprang up causing more and more tension between the Ute Tribe
and the government. The most famous conflicts happened in 1879,
the Meeker Massacre and the Battle of Milk Creek. Although both
were small battles, they were very violent, and in 1880 another
treaty was signed by the Ute Tribe with the U.S. Government. This
time, the Utes were forced off their land onto reservations in
northeast Utah and southwest Colorado. September 4,1881, was the
last day of Indian removal from this area and already pioneers
had gathered in Gunnison waiting to settle the Valley.
After the last Utes had left, settlers began pouring into the
area. One of the first was Grand Junction founder, George A. Crawford.
He is probably responsible for Grand Junction's name, located
at the junction of the Grand (now Colorado) and Gunnison Rivers.
In June of 1882, the City of Grand Junction was officially established.
Shortly thereafter, in November 1882, the Denver and Rio Grande
Western Railroad (D&RG) laid down tracks through the small
western town. D&RG soon became the area's largest employer,
connecting the Valley with Gunnison and Denver. Grand Junction
and surrounding areas began to grow and soon other areas were
also settled: Fruita, Orchard Mesa, the Redlands, Glade Park,
Loma, Mack, and Carpenter.
Before long, the Grand Valley was home to lawyers (W.J. Miller
and James W. Bucklin), a doctor (Harrison Stroud) and a school
with Nannie Blain as its first schoolmarm. Saloons, blacksmiths,
livery stables, hotels, ice houses, a newspaper, and lumber mills
were built to provide services to settlers. Jim Davis became Grand
Junction's first town marshall in 1882, and in 1883 a volunteer
fire department was established. Also in 1883, the first National
Guard unit in Mesa County was established under the name of Company
F, Grand Valley Guards. In May of 1897, the Grand Mesa Women's
Club helped found the Grand Junction Public Library, and with
help from Andrew Carnegie, the library was built in 1901.
Agriculture has always been a big part of life in the Grand Valley.
Agriculturally dependent companies like stockyards, sugar manufacturers,
chemical spray companies, and canning companies thrived at the
turn of the Century. Irrigation was extremely important and construction
on many canals began. These canals transported water from the
Grand Mesa and Colorado River to Grand Junction and outlying areas.
Dinosaur bones were found in 1900 and 1901 leading to the development
of popular fossil sites like Riggs Hill (named after a paleontologist
from Chicago) and Dinosaur Hill. Mesa County is an exciting place
to learn about these extinct giants and some of the world's largest
and smallest dinosaur fossils have been found here. Throughout
the 20th century, the Grand Valley continued to grow. More than
one hundred years later, Mesa County continues to thrive and draws
tourists and outdoor lovers to its beautiful mesas and monuments.
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