Blog

Captain Zebulon Montgomery Pike and his men set foot into the Upper Arkansas River Valley and Chaffee County from Park County on Thursday, December 18, 1806 at Trout Creek Pass [9400’]. (Above art is by the late, retired Disney artist, Ed French. It is available as a poster, or a notecard.) “Marched and crossed the...

Educational Resources We are starting the new year off with a bang, by creating a curated educational resources page geared towards elementary through high school education. Teachers and parents who are homeschooling will find lots of goodies from one-time lessons, edutainment videos, to a full fledged curriculum guide that covers a five-day unit. Some of...

At Christmas, Pike camped on the geological debris of multiple ancient floods. This is Part One, of a Two-Part Series. Read Part Two. Three Glaciers Flood, Arkansas River, Colorado Vince Matthews, Ph.D., formerly the Colorado State Geologist who lived in Leadville at one time spurred thought about where the large rocks came from on the...

Victor Hugo wrote: “Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.” Ed French who experienced and knew first-hand the courage required for the great sorrows of life, and exhibited infinite patience for...

Helen Keller once wrote “No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.” On April 25, 2020 the Pike National Historic Trail Association will convene (in most unusual circumstances) its Annual Board Meeting. Unusual because, unlike past years, the board...