Pueblo, Colorado

Pueblo is a city located in Pueblo County in southern Colorado. The City of Pueblo is situated on the confluence of the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek. The area is considered to be semi-arid with approximately 14 inches of precipitation annually. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 102,121. It is the county seat of Pueblo County{{GR|6}}.

History

In 1842 traders built a fort, or barricaded settlement, where Pueblo now stands. Generally about a dozen families lived there, traveling to various Indian encampments to trade for buffalo robes. On Christmas Eve, 1854 Fort Pueblo was attacked by about 100 Utes and most of the inhabitants killed. The site remained uninhabited until the modern town of Pueblo was settled after the Colorado Gold Rush of 1859.

Related Topics:
1842 - 1854 - Utes - Colorado Gold Rush of 1859

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Pueblo was once a major economic and social center of Colorado, and was home to important early Colorado families the Ormans and Adams'. Until a series of major floods culminated in the Great Flood of 1921, Pueblo was considered the 'Saddle-Making capital of the World'. Roughly one-third of Pueblo's downtown businesses were lost in this flood, along with a substantial number of buildings. Pueblo has long struggled to come to grips with this loss, and has only recently begun a resurgence in growth.

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The economic situation of Pueblo was further exacerbated by the decline of American Steel in the 1970s and '80s, and Pueblo actively seeks to diversify its economic base to this day. The City features a riverwalk, extensive trail system, industrial park, and revitalized downtown area to this effect.

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