Although Lewis and Clark are famous for exploring the Louisiana Purchase, another explorer explored the West about the same time.
Commissioned in 1806 to find the source of the Arkansas and Red Rivers, Lieutenant Zebulon Pike entered the dangerous Spanish Territory of today’s Colorado.
Lieutenant Zebulon Pike in Colorado
Amazed by the majestic blue mountains in the distance (the Rockies), he journeyed to the majestic snowcapped peaks that was nearer than the rest.
Attempting to climb to the top of the mountain in the snow and frigid November winds, Zebulon Pike and his men turned away.
(The top of this 14,000+ foot mountain duplicates conditions of the North Pole. It’s cold at the top even in the middle of the summer.)
Pike said that no man would ever be able to climb that mountain.
Well, we have taken three vacations to the top of that mountain named after him…Pikes Peak!
After Pike descended the mountain, he explored further in Colorado, heading south.
He and his men were captured by the Spanish and accused of spying. He claimed that he had no idea he was in Spanish territory.
Lieutenant Zebulon Pike in San Antonio
The Spaniards traveled with him on El Camino Real (the King’s Highway which was the primary Spanish Road through the Spanish provinces from Mexico to Louisiana), through Santa Fe, New Mexico and eventually spending time in San Antonio de Bexar (San Antonio), seat of the Spanish province in Tejas. (Texas)
Finally arriving at San Antonio de Bexar (originally pronounced beh-har, today pronounced bear), the group rested at Mission San Jose on the San Antonio River.
Then they proceeded to the Governor’s Palace (today in downtown San Antonio) to meet the Spanish Governor.
Eventually he was taken to Louisiana where he was released. Later promoted to brigadier general, during the War of 1812, he died in 1813.
See more Pikes Peak and Colorado photos at my Flicker set, here.
