North Park union., 1900-01-12
North Park Long Ago.
Narrative OF Tho Old North park
py General Fremont.

On June II, 1871, Gen. John C..
Fremont with party of explorers en-
tered North park, which he calls New
park, from the north, and passing
through towards the south went over
onto the headwatcrs of the Arkansas
and following down that stream re-
turned to st. Louis after an absence
of fourteen months of adventure aud
exploration. In u narrative he gives
of those times his reference TO North
park is quite interesting. The stream
he calls Lodge Pole creek must refer
to what is now known as Big creek.
Is it fact that Big Creek lake is ten
miles long? Ii would be interesting
to know where his irst camp in the
park was made, also who can tell from
his account, ut what pass he went out.
Is not the elevation higher than ii.
gives it Having reached the Platte
valley from the west, he says (FOl-
lowing Is an extract from his nara
tiye.)
The valley narrowed as we ascend
cd, and presently dcgeneratei into
gorge, through which the river passed
as through gate. We entered it,
and found ourselves IN the New Park
IA beautiful circular valley Of thirty
miles diameter, walled in all round
with snowy mountains, rich with wat
er and with grass, fringed with pine
on the mountain sides below the snow
line, and paradise to nj! grazing an
imals. The Indian name for it sig
niiies "cow lodge OF which our own
may be considered translation; the
enclosure, the grass, the water, and
the herds of buffalo roaming over it,
naturally presenting the idea of a
park We halted :or the night just
within the gate, and expected AS usu-
al, TO see herds of buffalo; but an
Arapahoe village had been before us,
and not one was TO be seen. Latitude
OF the encampment 40 degrees 81 min.
~ sec. Elevation by boiling point
1920 feet.
ut is from this elevated cove. and
from the sorges of the surrounding
mountains, and some lakes within
their bosoms, that the Great Platte
river collects Its first waters, and as.
sumes its first form; and certainly no
river could ask more beautiful ori.
gin.
"l6th.-ln the morning we pursued
our way through the park, following
a principal branch of the Platte, and
crossing among many smaller ones,
a bold stream, scarcely fordable, cal
led Lodge Pole fork, and which issues
from lake in the mountains on the
right, ten miles long. In tue evening
we camped on small stream near the
upper end OF the Park Latitude of
tn, camp 30 degrees SO min. % sec
"11th.-We continued our Way
among the waters of the park over
the foothills of the bordering noun
tains, where found good pasturage,
and surpriZed and killed some buffalo
We fell into a broad and excellent
trail made by buffalo, where wagon
would pass with ease and, in the
course Of the morning we crossed
the summit Of the Rocky mountains,
through Il pass which was one of the
most beautiful we had ever seen.
The trail led among the aspens
through open grounds, richly covered
with grass, and carried us over an
elevation OF about 1900 feet above
the level OF the sea.
"The country appeared to great ad
vantage in the delightful summer
weather of the mountains, which we
still continued to enjoy. Descending
from the pass, we found ourselves
again on the western waters; and
halted to noon on the edge of another
mountain valley, called the Old Park,
in which is formed Grand river, one
of the principal branches Of the Colo
RADIO of California We were now NOV.
ing with some caution, as, from the
trail we found the 'Arapahoe village
had also passed this way; as we were
coming out of their enemy's country,
and this was war-ground, we were
desirous TO avoid them. After long
| afternoons march. we halted at night
on a small creek, tributary TO main
/ ~