Currant Creek was the first road west of Canon City. That would now follow Hwy 9 up to Guffey. In 1868 there was a town named "Currant Creek" about 27 miles NW of Canon. The Witcher's and Mulock's lived up there. They moved to Cotopaxi later on. John Witcher was one of the founders of the "Upper Arkansas, San Juan and Pacific Railroad" in 1878 - part of the 1880 train wars. T. Witcher ran 4000 head of cattle from Texas to Fremont County that year. These men were interested in transportation.
In 1871, $1400 was raised to construct a bridge at Mccandless Ford (Parkdale). The cattle crushed it and another $400 was needed to rebuild it a year later.
In the fall of 1872, $3000 was set aside for a road "up the Arkansas River." It didn't follow the river. This road began on the west edge of Canon City, followed today's Hwy 50 which was the Currant Creek Road, then branched off to the west, crossed the Mccandless Ford then continued up today's Copper Gulch Road. It would veer west where Road Gulch is, then head south on 69, connect at CR 1A, and go on west from there. At that time, Texas Creek was not located on Hwy 50. It was south of Road Gulch on Hwy 69. This wagon road wasn't actually built until 1874, two years after the funding was established.
If you know the area, you can find that road on this 1881 map. See "12 Mile Bridge" then go south. No road to Cotopaxi. Great map!
Where CR 1A hits Oak Grove Creek, the stagecoach road went west from there and came down to the Arkansas River in Pleasant Valley. There was no road from that juncture to Cotopaxi. Because Cotopaxi didn't exist! Remember, this "Canon City to Leadville" wagon road was built in 1874 - 2 years before Colorado became a state.
That same year, they tried to put a Wagon Road up Grape Creek to Soda Creek where it then joined Copper Gulch road. At the cost of $25,000. It was wiped out in a flood shortly afterwards.
The Royal Gorge as we know it today was called the "Grand Canyon of the Arkansas." It was nearly a day's excursion from Canon City! It was renamed the Royal Gorge by Rev. Richard Shelty in 1875.
Mccandless Ford was also known as Twelve Mile Ford. It became Parkdale in 1879. The Valley there was called "Webster Park". They had a post office from 1888 to 1970. Where Texas Creek is today used to be known as "Ford".
This is from a 1912 article showing the proposed Rainbow Route.
It wasn't until 1913 that state funds were set aside to build "the Rainbow Route" where Hwy 50 goes west from Parkdale. This gravel road "highway" was to go to Salida and over Monarch Pass. Construction on Monarch did not begin until 1919.
It was known as the Rainbow Trail until about 1926 when it was designated at Hwy 50. It was paved sometime after 1931.
When you are researching your family history, ask the question - how did they get there? Back in 1882 when the Colonists arrived in Cotopaxi, it would have taken 2 days to get there from Canon City by means of a stage coach. Or they took the train.
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