A Whole Lot of Colorado History Packed into One Volume

The State of Colorado is a constantly-evolving entity that's changed radically over the several thousand years it's been inhabited by human beings.

But how, exactly, did various groups, from Pueblo Indians to Spanish explorers to masses of immigrants, settle in the state? How did they take possession of the land they used for farming, hunting, ranching and business? And what impact have they had on the land since their arrival?

The answers to nearly all of these questions can be found in the pages of Dr. Tom Noel's, Colorado: A Historical Atlas (University of Oklahoma Press, 2015). Noel, who is also known as Dr. Colorado, digs deep into the story of how Colorado's natural features have shaped the development of its human inhabitants (and vice versa).

To say that Noel's work (which is actually a revised edition of his 1993 work) covers a tremendous amount of ground is something of an understatement. Colorado: A Historical Atlas features sections on everything from the 17 original Colorado counties; to a coalfield map; a map of Colorado libraries; and much, much more.

While some historical atlases are geared squarely towards hardcore history buffs, Colorado: A Historical Atlas grabs at a much larger audience. That is to say, you don't have to be an obsessive history nerd to appreciate this title. (That said, all the obsessive history nerds here at Western History/Genealogy definitely loved this book.)

Noel's book is an invaluable tool for students and researchers who are getting started on Colorado history projects. (History Day students, we're looking at you!)

Dr. Tom Noel is just one of many Colorado authors whose works are housed in both our Western History and Genealogy collections, as well as our Colorado Authors collection. If you love digging into Colorado history as much as we do, check out Colorado: A Historical Atlas and let us know what you think.