Lt. Zebulon Pike's Southwestern Expedition - Mosca, CO - Colorado Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This marker is one of several that traces the route of Lt. Zebulon Pike's expedition into the southwestern portion of the Louisiana Purchase. Pike left St. Louis on July 15, 1806 and headed across the great plains to the Arkansas River. He then followed this river upstream, past the mountain that would later bear his name, and eventually crossing the Sangre de Cristo mountains near the Great Sand Dunes. The expedition sought to find the headwaters of the Red River, but mistakenly followed the Rio Grande del Norte into Spanish territory where he was captured and later released in Louisiana on July 1, 1807.

The marker is located west of the Great Sand Dunes and corresponds to January 28, 1807. The sign contains excerpts from Pike's diary and maps of the expedition. Portions of the marker have been transcribed below:

(1806-7) Lt. Zebulon Pike's Southwestern Expedition

U.S. Army Expedition to explore the United States new southwest boundary with New Spain.

The men:
Zt. Zebulon M. Pike
Dr. John H. Robinson
Sgt. William Meek
Corp. Jeremiah Jackson
Privates:
John Brown
Jacob Carter
William Gordon
Theodore Miller
John Mountjoy
Alexander Roy
Freegift Stout

Travel the route of these explorers and read Lt. Pike's own words from his journal.

The Expedition:

28th January: 1807 (Pike)
"We discovered through the lengthy vista..., another chain of mountains... the prairie between the two mountains bore nearly north to south. I returned to camp with the news of my discovery. The sand hills extending up and down the White mountains, about fifteen miles, and appeared to be about five miles in width." (Actual size is approximately 6 x 5 miles, or 30 square miles)

Site of this sign:

Facing east, one can see the deep notch in the mountains above the Great Sand Dunes. This is the likely route of Pike and his men as they crossed this majestic mountain range. As the valley was settled, agriculture became the leading industry and still is today. One can see the center pivot sprinklers irrigating crops such as potatoes, barley, hay and alfalfa.

The route Pike followed to Medano Pass was not a frequently used pathway. However, it joined another from the Huerfano Valley which was doubtlessly the main track from the upper Arkansas to Taos via the San Luis Valley.

Credits:

For further information: Contact the local Historical Society or the local county government.
This Sign location constructed and maintained by county employees.
This Sign funded in part by a grant from the Department of Local Affairs under the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Program, State of Colorado. Debra Downs - Regional Manager
Research and Coordination - Kit Shy
Text not Pike's - Debra Goodman
Sign design - Robert E. Pratt
For further reading: "The Southwest Journals of Zebulon Pike - 1806-1807", Hart, Hulbert, & Gardner, U. of New Mexico Press, 2006

Source: Historical marker text, Wikipedia

Group or Groups Responsible for Placement: State of Colorado Alamosa County Historical Society County or City: Alamosa County Date Dedicated: Not listed Check here for Web link(s) for additional information: Not listed

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