The History of Pueblo, Colorado
The history of Pueblo, Colorado is closely tied to its economic fortunes. Originally a trading post for fur trappers, Pueblo has also served as a center for the Colorado Gold Rush and for the American steel industry. After decades of depression, Pueblo is today experiencing an economic turnaround.
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Native American Inhabitants
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The area around what is now Pueblo was originally populated by the Native American Anasazi tribe around 100 B.C. The Anasazi settled in parts of Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico, where they built clay and mud-brick homes and grew crops of pumpkin and corn.
Fur Trapping and Trading
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In 1842, fur trapper George Simpson came to the area and constructed a trading post and plaza. Native Americans attacked the trading post in 1854, killing between 15 and 20 people and chasing off the rest of the inhabitants. However, the post was re-established in 1859 during the Colorado Gold Rush.
Incorporation
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The city of Pueblo was incorporated in 1870 and quickly became the regional center for trade, mining and saddle-making. It was also the social and cultural center of Colorado and was the home of many of the wealthiest families in the American West.
Steel Boom and Bust
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The city's economy was devastated by flooding in 1921. Its recovery was led by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, which was established in Pueblo in 1901. However, the company declared bankruptcy in 1982, and was acquired by the Russian-owned Evraz Group SA in 2007 for $2.3 billion.
Today
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The collapse of the steel market in the 1980s caused Pueblo's population to shrink dramatically. However, recently the city had began to grow again. As of 2000, the population was 102,121, Pueblo's largest since 1980.
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