History
In July 1858, gold was discovered along the South Platte River in Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory, Arapahoe County of the Territory of Kansas (now in the State of Colorado). This discovery precipitating the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. To promote the development of this western region, the Kansas Territorial Legislature created Peketon County to the east of Arapahoe County and the Territory of New Mexico on February 2, 1859, but Peketon County was never organized. Following the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party 1860 United States presidential election, election victories in 1860, the United States Congress admitted Kansas to the United States, Union. The Kansas Act of Admission excluded the portion of the Kansas Territory west of the 25th meridian west from Washington from the new state, and Peketon County and the rest of this region reverted to unorganized territory. On February 28, 1861, the Territory of Colorado was organized to govern this unorganized territory and adjacent areas of the Territory of New Mexico, the Territory of Utah, and the Territory of Nebraska. The new Colorado General Assembly organized 17 counties on November 1, 1861.See also
*List of counties in Colorado#Former counties, Historic Colorado counties *History of Colorado *History of Kansas *Pike's Peak Gold Rush *Territory of Colorado *Territory of Jefferson *Territory of KansasReferences
External links