US State Capital History Arkansas, California, Colorado
The history of Little Rock, Sacramento, and Denver
Named for a Stone Outcropping
Native Indians were already inhabitants of Central Arkansas for thousands of years before the Europeans arrived. Among the first inhabitants were the Folsom people, Bluff Dwellers and Mississippians. They built earthwork mounds discovered by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1541.
Little Rock was named for a stone outcropping found on the bank of the Arkansas River. It was used as a landmark by travelers. In French, Little Rock is known as La Petite Roche. There are many rocky outcroppings around the city today especially near the river.
Little Rock is situated on the Arkansas River in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains. Today the city’s economy is based on government and financial services. Little Rock is home to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. Other tourist attractions are the Pinnacle Mountain State Park, Clinton Presidential Center, Magic Springs and Crystal Falls an amusement park.
Indigenous Culture
The Nisenan and the Plains Miwok Indians have lived in the area for perhaps thousands of years. Unlike the settlers who would eventually make Sacramento, California their home, these Indians left little evidence of their existence. In either 1799 or 1808, the Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga discovered and named the Sacramento Valley and the Sacramento River. The valley and the river were christened after the “Most Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ” which referred to the Catholic sacrament of the Eucharist.
In 1939 pioneer John Sutter arrived from Switzerland and established the trading colony and stockade Sutter’s Fort. Soon gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill which brought in many gold seekers. John Sutter Jr. began planning the City of Sacramento. Sacramento became the oldest incorporated city in California. It was incorporated on February 27, 1850.
The city became the terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Both the American and the Sacramento Rivers helped boost commerce. This helped establish Sacramento as the capital of California. The Sacramento River continues to be used by boaters making their way along the Delta to the Bay Area and on to San Francisco.
Old Sacramento offers visitors a look into the Gold Rush era with wooden sidewalks and wagon rides. Of interest among other attractions is the California State Railroad Museum.
Queen City Of the Plains
In November of 1858, Denver City was founded as a mining town during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush in western Kansas Territory. That same summer Montana City was established on the banks of the South Platte River. Later the Denver City site became what today is the city of Denver and the Montana City site is today Grant-Frontier Park.
In 1867 Denver City became the Territorial Capital and dropped the City from its name. The state of Colorado was admitted to the Union in 1876. Unfortunately between 1880 and 1895, the city had a huge rise in city corruption as crime bosses worked along with elected officials and the police attempting to control the elections, gambling, and bunko gangs. After the silver price crash, there was a period of depression in 1893.
Denver managed to rise above all the difficulties and became a capital people wanted to live in.
Denver hosted the Democratic National Convention in 1908 and in 2008. Early in the 20th century Denver became home to a pioneering brass age automobile company The Colburn Automobile Company and made cars copied from the contemporary Renault.
Denver has been known historically as the Queen City of the Plains due to its important role in the agricultural industry of the Plains regions. To honor the city several U.S. Navy ships have been named USS Denver.
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Rasma Raisters
My passions are writing and creating poetry. I write for several sites online and have four themed blogs on Wordpress. Please follow me on Twitter.
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