Rush to the Rockies! The 1859 Pikes Peak or Bust Gold Rush provides a glimpse into the excitement of Colorado's formative years, into the development of industrialized mining, and into the lives of people who thrived (or just survived) to establish the Centennial State of Colorado in 1876.
The 1859 "gold fever" emboldened many adventurous souls to head west to the mineral-rich regions of the Kansas and Nebraska territories. Their destination, commonly called "Pike's Peak," was the area known today as Colorado's Front Range. The prospector's dream was of an easy life of wealth and the never-ending happiness that gold could buy. As you read the chapters in Rush to the Rockies!, imagine yourself 150 years ago, provisioning for a long wagon trip across the plains, prodding your stubborn oxen westward, fearing the unknown, and maybe even striking it rich. Succumb to the "fever" and enjoy the adventure!
