It was 150 years ago today that Congress organized the Territory of Colorado and stole the Rio Grande headwaters, the San Luis Valley, nine fourteeners, a national park and a big chunk of plains from New Mexico. Colorado was given that part of New Mexico east of the Continental Divide between 37º (the current state line) and 38º (69 miles further north).
In the House version of the bill, the new territory was called Idaho. The Senate changed it to Colorado.
The good news is, two years later, New Mexico Territory gave up what is now Arizona.
So, lose some, win some.
Ken,
Knowing how influential you are in national politics I feel compelled to remind you that a while back you said Colorado could keep the town of Dolores and the Montezuma Valley.
I intend to keep you honest on that one.
John Orr
Geez, John, you’ve been a reader for a long time and I hesitate to take exception to your comment, but I have no memory of that and I can’t find it by searching NMK on either Dolores or Montezuma Valley.
And for that matter, Dolores and the Montezuma Valley were never in New Mexico Territory. They were west of the Divide, so in Utah Territory (both created September 9, 1850).
Ken,
Well I’m relieved. I couldn’t click through to the map so…
I guess it’s my middle-aged (senior?) memory at work. 🙂
Keep up the good work.
John Orr
Maybe if NM had kept AZ, we’d all be better off. Of course, it’s always possible Phoenix would have dragged NM down, too. I think Phoenix needs to create it’s own state and leave the rest of us the f*** alone.
This note is interesting. Southeast CO has always seemed a lot like an extension of New Mexico. The people, language, and food. Arizona on the other hand is very different from NM. The division is more of a natural break.