The history of the Pikes Peak Region is fascinating. It is as broad and varied as the landscape itself. The mountain was a beacon to settlers, and the land around it served as a cultural crossroads. For hundreds of years the area has attracted American Indians, explorers, mountain men, miners, farmers and ranchers, health seekers, and tourists. A roll call of names from the region’s past is like a who’s who of American history: Ouray and Chipeta, Zebulon Montgomery Pike and John Charles Fremont, William Henry Jackson and General William Jackson Palmer, Winfield Scott Stratton and Helen Hunt Jackson. The following links will help you learn more about the history of the area surrounding Pikes Peak, America’s most famous mountain.
The following material is drawn from the Museum’s thematic history exhibits. The history of the region will be discussed using nine specific themes two of which you will find below. The exhibits are currently being designed and installed on the Museum’s third floor.