Southwestern Colony Colorado ~  1870

This organization, although not so far advanced as others, has matured its plans sufficiently to be mentioned. It was initiated at Memphis, Tennessee, but its members are from various States, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. A town site has been selected on the banks of the South Platte, twenty-five miles below Evans, on the Denver Pacific rail way, and seventy-five miles from Denver. It is near the old landmark known as "Fremont's Orchard," and just below an island in the river, which is covered with native cottonwoods. The town has been named Greensboro, in honor of its chief projector and patron, Col. D. S. Green, a gentleman well and favorably known in Colorado. Lost Spring creek debouches into the Platte, just above the town site, and its valley constitutes one of the chief attractions of the locality. It is about two miles wide; its soil is o. deep alluvial loam, as light and friable as an ash heap, and produces a most luxuriant growth of a peculiar kind of perennial grass, resembling the famous blue grass of Kentucky. At least 15,000 acres of these valley lands need no artificial irrigation whatever, and the broad expanse of uplands, further back, furnish unlimited range for pasturage. On the Platte bottom there are also thousands of acres, which may be cultivated without irrigation. Besides these, there are easy facilities for constructing an irrigating canal, of not more than two or three miles in length, which will cover 8,000 or 10,000 acres more; while, eventually, by a little more outlay, water can be carried over nearly all the highlands in the vicinity, including hundreds of thousands of acres.

The plan of this colony is somewhat different from that of others now located. Each member pays over a moderate membership fee, which entitles him to special rates of transportation to the colony site, a share in the division of the town property, and such other privileges as inhere to similar organizations. At the same time there are no restrictions or obligations imposed upon members; no communism or cooperative interests. Each one is left to make his own selection of vocation; to preempt lands; claim as homestead or otherwise, as he may elect, and in every respect to act his or her own preference as in ordinary communities. The location is certainly very desirable in many respects. At present, it is twenty five miles to the nearest railway station; but in time, no doubt, a line of railway will be constructed up the valley of the South Platte, connecting, at the mouth of the latter, with the Union Pacific, and opening up the grand expanse of grazing lands spread out on either side of this stream. In this event, which can only be considered as a matter of time, Greensboro will have a much more direct eastern outlet than any town or colony yet projected in Colorado. Among its prominent members are some of the leading men of the various sections represented, and the colony bids fair to become the nucleus of a large and thrifty settlement. Full information concerning it, may be obtained by addressing Col. D. S. Green, at Denver.

In addition to the foregoing there are numerous other colonies, whose locating committees are actively exploring the different sections of the Territory for the most favorable locations; but, up to this writing, they either have not finally fixed upon their sites, or they decline to make the chosen spots known, lest wily land sharks thwart their purposes. Of these, there is a Boston colony, a Western colony, a Tennessee colony, and several others not specially named.

Rocky Mountain Directory & Colorado Gazetteer

Source: Rocky Mountain Directory and Colorado Gazetteer, 1871, S. S. Wallihan & Company, Compilers and Publishers, Denver, 1870.