Indian and Spanish Visitors

The Indians of the Pikes Peak region were known to haunt the area around Jimmy Camp. They were drawn there, no doubt, by the cold spring water and the presence of game. Their long term use of the camp is attested to not only by the diaries of later visitors, but also by the many projectile points and firepits found throughout the area. A recent survey discovered more than forty archaeological sites as well as a series of ancient handholds leading up the east face of Jimmy Camp Bluffs.

Projectile Points Found at Jimmy Camp

Further evidence of the Indian presence at Jimmy Camp comes from the accounts of early Spanish visitors. The first such visitor to leave a record was the Spaniard Juan de Uribarri. In 1706 Uribarri brought a command of twenty soldiers, twelve settlers and 200 Indian allies from Santa Fe to rescue a band of enslaved Indians held by the Cuartelejo Apaches of present eastern Colorado.

Uribarri's expedition crossed the Arkansas River near the present site of Pueblo on 29 July 1706. For the next two days they wandered the arid plains east of Fountain Creek in a vain search for the Apache trail, which was marked simply by clumps of grass tied together. Thoroughly lost, thirsty and discouraged the expedition finally stumbled into Jimmy Camp. The camp was immedately named Ojo de Nuestra Senora de Buen Suceso (Spring of Our Lady of Good Luck) to celebrate finding water there.

Thirteen years later another Spanish expedition stopped at Jimmy Camp. This second expedition was under the command of Governor Antonio de Valverde, who had come down Fountain Creek with over 800 men and 1,000 horses on his way to punish marauding bands of Utes and Commanches. Valverde paused at Jimmy Camp to hunt buffalo. Here he also found excellent pastures, a spring of cold water, and the lodgepole trail of his enemies. The story is told in a diary kept of the expedition.

"On the seventh of this month of October, the senor governor with the command...arrived at a canyon at which there were many sandy creeks. The senor governor called it Santa Rosa. It has many good pastures...They went down to the canyon and creeks and upon entering therein they met some herds of buffalo, so that the whole camp was provided with meat. His lordship went hunting and on this occasion more than twelve head were killed. Farther down a spring was found from which a little pool was formed. The chaplin called it San Ignacio, and as soon as camp was made on this spot and creeks, Chief Carlana went to examine some tracks he had seen. He found that their enemies, the Utes and Comanches, had ranched on that spot. He recognized that they had set up more than sixty tents, and following the trail along the road by which they set out, he found at a little distance the track of the tent poles which they were dragging along. He reported this information to the governor, who appreciated it greatly and rewarded him with meat and flour."(1)

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FOOTNOTE -

(1) - After Coronado, translated and edited by Alfred Barnaby Thomas (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1966), pp.124-125.