A Forgotten Kingdom: The Spanish Frontier in Colorado and New Mexico, 1540-1821 BLM Cultural Resources Series (Colorado: No. 29)

This volume represents a bridge between Colorado's pre-historic past and the time of Anglo-American settlement in our state. Few people realize that hundreds of years before the discovery of gold in Colorado during 1859, a highly developed civilization had explored and settled the area now known as New Mexico and Colorado. Spanish conquistadores roamed the plains in the mid-1500s. They came here permanently in 1598 and founded the second oldest city in North America. This long cultural heritage was overshadowed when Colorado [and New Mexico] became part of the United States during the mid-1800s.

I am pleased to present a new volume in our Cultural Resources Series that is somewhat unique. It is neither prehistory nor pure western history. It reveals an aspect of our past that is sometimes overlooked and forgotten. I hope that both the professional community and general public will enjoy this work.

Tom Walker
Acting State Director
Colorado