Fun with Maps ISSUE 2025-120

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (August 1, 2025) – In today’s edition of Fun with Maps we talk statehood, mountains and 100 years.    

THE CENTENNIAL STATE

Colorado became the 38th state on August 1, 1876.  Prior to statehood and its own time as a territory, Colorado was part of the Territory of Kansas and part of the Territory of Jefferson.

The area of Colorado has been home to Native American settlers for as long as 15,000 years.  It has always been a vital part of migration through the Rocky Mountains and became an integral part of European settlement and migration as the United States pushed its boundaries westward. 

The discovery of gold at Pike’s Peak and Colorado’s own treasure trove of silver mines kept people settling in the area rather than just passing through.

Colorado’s name originates in the Spanish language, meaning colored red.  Colorado is the only state where 4 states meet, along with New Mexico, Arizona and Utah – at its southwest corner, aptly named “Four Corners”.  It is one of three US states whose boundaries are solely defined by longitude and latitude markings.

This seldom seen map of Colorado from 1881 is by Page

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.