Comanche History Part 2(This site has the best early history of Southeastern Colorado that I have found. It mentions Bent's Fort and Southeastern Colorado and the Arkansas River.)

The Santa Fe Trail from Independence, southwestward to the Arkansas River, which it followed to a point near the present Dodge City, Kansas. Crossing the river at a point known as Cimmaron Crossing, the trail again bore southward to the Cimmaron River, following it to the present boundry of Baca County, and twenty miles into the interior. It again veered to the southwest going to the present site of Kenton, Oklahoma, thence to Cimaron City, New Mexico, and on to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The other main trail followed the Arkansas River and instead of bearing southward at Dodge City, at Fort Bent, six miles east of La Junta, Colorado, it went southwestward to the Picketwire (Purgatorie) River, crossing it five times on its way to Cimmaron City where it joined with the southern route to Santa Fe. This trail did not touch Baca County. However; a cut-off between these two main thoroughfares, known as the Asberry Trail, did pass directly though the locality. In 1851, Francois X. Asberry took a wagon train from the present site of Harland, Kansas, a point on the north trail, to the southern route, saving a distance of several miles. He entered Baca County on Section 28; Township 29; Range 41, and this followed Bear Creek on the southside of the Five Mile water hole, and then turned toward the southwest to the the other trail. This trail was used a lot after it was established.

The farmland was mostly homesteaded from 1900-1926. Today's cowboys still drive,rope, and brand cattle just as in generations past.
Dryland farming still exists for the crops in this part of Colorado. At one time Baca County was known as the "Broomcorn Capital of the World." Broomcorn was first raised as a crop in the area about 1887. It is the brush or seed head from the broomcorn that was used to make brooms for household use. Broomcorn is not grown much in the area now. Another crop that was grown here was pinto beans.
Drought and dust storms of the 1930's ruined local farms and forced the homesteaders off of the land.
The present economy is ranching and farming, with errigated row crops in the eastern part of Baca County.
Explorers, pioneers and homesteaders made their way across the region following one of the three branches of the Sant Fe Trail that crossed the northeastern corner of the county. Several cattle drive trails can be seen across the county where livestock was herded from the plains to the south to the rail yards to the north to be shipped back east.
The first white man to graze cattle in the territory of the present Baca County was Pete JONES, who established the JJ Ranch on the Picketwire in 1874. In 1882, he sold his holdings to the Prarie Cattle Company, which at one time claimed 90,000 head of cattle. This county was at that time a part of Las Animas, with the seat of government at Trinidad.

This following obituary ties in with this. Oldest of The Pioneers Passed Away Tuesday. This was from the La Junta Tribune Friday, May 10,1935. He was between 90 and 100 years of age.
John Turk ROBINSON, was born in England and instead of going to school as desired by his family, decided to come to America and become a cowboy. He first went to Texas for a few years and in 1865 went to Nine Mile district where he remained. He was employed by the Jones brothers and when the JJ changed hands, remained with the Prarie Cattle Company. The last few years of his life he made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Robert Johnson. He made lots of money but not all of it he kept due to bad loans he made to people. His burial was at Higbee, Colorado.

Native American occupation of Baca County before the pioneers is evident all over Baca County.
The Native American made their home in the area as far back as 384 AD.
The area known now as Picture Canyon is rugged canyons of natural beauty and this is where the visitor wants to look for prehistoric Indian rock art on the south and east canyon walls. Rock house and rock fences and cemeteries can also be found in this area.
Picture Canyon is 35 miles southwest of Springfield.
In Picture Canyon visitors will find caves containing ancient carvings in the rock that mark the spring and fall equinox. They were carved in the rock surface over 1,000 years ago. Mystery surrounds these carvings but it is certain that these inscriptions, precisely mark the equinox in conjunction with the rays of the sun striking these carvings. It is believed by some scientists that these marks are Ogam writing and show the ancient Celts explored the area long ago. Others believe the writings were a cultural exchange among the early Native Americans.