Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory facts for kids

A map of Kansas Territory in 1860. Arapahoe County was located in the territory's western panhandle, between Oro, Broderick, and Peketon Counties.

Arapahoe County was a special area, like a modern-day county, in the western part of Kansas Territory. This territory was a large region in the United States that wasn't yet a state. Arapahoe County existed from August 25, 1855, until Kansas became a state on January 29, 1861.

History of Arapahoe County

How Arapahoe County Started

On August 25, 1855, the Kansas Territorial Legislature created Arapahoe County. The Legislature was the group of lawmakers for the Kansas Territory. They formed this county to help govern the far western part of the territory. Today, this area is part of the state of Colorado.

The county was named after the Arapaho Nation. These were Native American people who lived in that region for a long time.

The Gold Rush and New Counties

In July 1858, people found gold along the South Platte River. This river was located right in Arapahoe County. This discovery started the famous Pike's Peak Gold Rush. Many people rushed to the area hoping to find gold.

Because so many people moved there, the Kansas Territorial Legislature decided to change Arapahoe County. On February 7, 1859, they split the large county into six smaller ones. These new counties were a much smaller Arapahoe County, Broderick County, El Paso County, Fremont County, Montana County, and Oro County.

However, none of these six new counties ever fully started working as official governments.

Forming Their Own Territory

Many people living in the gold mining areas felt very far away from the main Kansas government. The government was almost 600 miles away! So, on October 24, 1859, they voted to create their own government. They called it the Territory of Jefferson.

Kansas Becomes a State

After the Republican Party won the election in 1860, the United States Congress made a big decision. On January 29, 1861, they allowed Kansas to join the Union as a new state.

However, the law that made Kansas a state did not include the western part of the Kansas Territory. This meant Arapahoe County and the other areas in the far west were no longer part of Kansas. They became "unorganized territory" again. This means they didn't have a formal government set up by the U.S. Congress.

Colorado Territory is Formed

Soon after, on February 28, 1861, the Colorado Territory was created. This new territory was formed from the land that is now the State of Colorado. It also included parts of New Mexico Territory, Utah Territory, and Nebraska Territory.

The new government for Colorado Territory, called the Colorado General Assembly, then set up 17 new counties on November 1, 1861. One of these new counties was a new Arapahoe County. This new county is still a county in Colorado today.