First Regular Session

Sixty-second General Assembly

LLS NO. R99­0777.01 Rebecca Hausmann

STATE OF COLORADO

BY REPRESENTATIVE Spradley;

also SENATORS Tebedo, Epps, Hillman, Lamborn, and Powers.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 99-1012

CONCERNING THE DECLARATION OF THE MONTH OF MARCH AS TELLER COUNTY MONTH IN THE STATE OF COLORADO.

WHEREAS, Teller county was established on March 23, 1899, carved from portions of El Paso and Fremont counties; and

WHEREAS, Teller county was established in order to better represent the interests of the residents of the area in matters relating to taxes and politics; and

WHEREAS, Teller county has a rich history and has played an important role in the economy of the state; and

WHEREAS, The area that comprises Teller county was first known for the old Ute Pass trail, which offered passage through the Front Range of the Rockies for Indians, explorers, prospectors, cowboys, buffalo, and cattle, and later, with the construction of the Colorado Midland Railroad, the area grew to provide important services to railroad workers; and

WHEREAS, After the construction of the railroad, the area became a popular spot for pleasure seekers and recovering tuberculosis patients as well as travelers aboard the Midland trains; and

WHEREAS, The discovery of gold in the Cripple Creek area created the last great gold rush in Colorado, bringing thousands of people to the Teller county area and changing the economy of region as well as that of the entire state; and

WHEREAS, Cripple Creek mining operations not only produced amazing amounts of gold, but also boosted the economies of neighboring towns that provided a wide array of important support services to the mines and the miners; and

WHEREAS, As a result of the gold rush, lumber mills in the area around Cripple Creek prospered and the town of Divide became widely known for its high­quality, disease­free potatoes and fine crops of lettuce; and

WHEREAS, Teller county played a vital role in saving Colorado's crashing economy after the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act in 1893; and

WHEREAS, The sixty million ounces of gold removed from Cripple Creek and Victor boosted the nation's gold reserves; and

WHEREAS, After struggling to survive decades of a declining economy after the federal government shut down gold mining operations in Teller county, Teller county is experiencing a renewed economic boom with the introduction of limited gaming in Cripple Creek and the return of large­scale mining activities; and

WHEREAS, Teller county will be the last Colorado county to celebrate a centennial in the twentieth century; and

WHEREAS, It is important to recognize the centennial of the county of Teller; and

WHEREAS, Officials in the state of Colorado and Teller county wish to promote the study of the history of Teller county by its residents and all of the citizens of Colorado; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty­second General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein:

That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, hereby proclaim the month of March, 1999, Teller county month.