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371:. It was officially named Namaqua in 1868 when a post office was established at the fort and station. After the fort was no longer needed and abandoned, the stone building was converted to an ice house. Until the 1920s, the log buildings were continued to be used. They then fell into disrepair and were dismantled, except for Medina's cabin which was restored and preserved at the Loveland museum. Medina's grave was moved to Namaqua Park in 1960. A marker was placed in the park near the site of the former stage station.
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309:. The Loveland Historical Society engaged Olivia Lowe to create the copper-panel sculpture, "Gazing at Longs Peak", in memory of Medina. The eight bodies that had been buried at the cemetery had been moved many years ago to Namaqua Park and, until the sculpture was added, all that had remained was a marker of stones to identify the site of Medina's cemetery.
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183:. The site was named Namaqua in 1868, with the establishment of a post office. Buildings were used until the 1920s and were later dismantled. A historical marker is located at Namaqua Park, near the site of the former fort and station. A copper sculpture honors Mariano Medina at the site of the Mariano Medina Family Cemetery.
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in 1861. He followed the Utes for 25 miles and shot one of them as the remaining men fled. He then built a stone fort on the north side of the Big
Thompson, with six gun ports. The walls were up to 20 inches thick and the roof was built with logs, sandstone slabs, and topped with a foot of earth.
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The first permanent settler in the Big
Thompson Valley, Medina established a trading post called Fort Namaqua. He recruited people from his hometown of Taos to help build log buildings for the settlement called Namaqua of 100 people. It was located on the crossing of several trails, including the
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to establish the Fort
Namaqua trading post and stage station, one of the earliest businesses in the pre-state history of Colorado. He reportedly spoke thirteen languages; he spoke Spanish and English, and likely spoke some French and Indian dialects, as his wife was Native American and there were
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Four of Medina's children died between 1864 and 1872. Medina's wife died in 1874 and Medina died in 1878. The Medina family members were buried .5 miles (0.80 km) from their house in a cemetery, now a historic landmark in southwest
297:. Medina established a toll bridge across the river and settlement, Namaqua, with a school, church, and a post office. Medina operated a farm in the area. He and his family were the first permanent settlers in what is now
278:. From the sketch of his life, it "has been one of ceaseless activity, hazard and privation, his Indian fights and skirmishes far outnumber his years, and his hair-breadth escapes seem almost miraculous."
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for travelers along the foothills to Denver. A fort was built at the site after 60 horses were driven off the property. Medina also developed a small settlement with people from his hometown of
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The
Holladay Overland Mail & Express Co. stagecoach office was on the southwest corner of fifteenth and Market Streets in Denver. Circa 1860s.
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In 1858, he came to northern
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In 1862, the fort became a stage station for the
Holladay Overland Stage company along the
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and officials for eleven years, throughout the western frontier. He served out of and
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Medina's
Crossing, Namaqua Station, Mariano's Crossing, Big Thompson, Miraville
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Mariano Medina (died 1878), founder of Fort
Namaqua and the Namaqua settlement
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Over Hill and Vale: In the
Evening Shadows of Colorado's Longs Peak
537:"Loveland Historical Society honors local pioneer with new artwork"
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619:. Denver, Colorado. p. 230 – via Denver Public Library.
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
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From the Grave: A Roadside Guide to
Colorado's Pioneer Cemeteries
211:), was of Native American and Spanish heritage. His father was a
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614:"Fiftyniners' Directory: Colorado Argonauts of 1858 and 1859"
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from 1858 or 1859. It was located in the present-day city of
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Location of the historical marker at Namaqua Park, Loveland
266:. He was among the most revered frontiersmen, on par with
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Medina had been a fur trapper and trader, working for the
222:. He was a scout and interpreter on expeditions for the
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Colorado Forts: Historic Outposts on the Wild Frontier
328:, the Denver and Laramie Trails, and branches off the
581:"Sketch of the Life and Adventures of Mariano Modina"
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Buildings and structures in Larimer County, Colorado
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Following Isabella: Travels in Colorado Then and Now
594:– via Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection.
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491:. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. p. PT10.
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418:"Spanish-Speaking Mariano Medina built a fort"
199:Mariano Medina (also Modena and Modina), born
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663:. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 39.
289:The trading post was located alongside the
234:in Wyoming. He worked for and with General
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715:, Loveland Historical Society, located at
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485:Jolie Anderson Gallagher (April 2, 2013).
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16:Trading post in Colorado, United States
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699:Mariano Medina, Colorado mountain man
632:"Namaqua Park has an unfinished past"
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363:, specifically in this area between
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343:Sixty of his horses were looted by
630:Vendegna, Michelle (May 4, 2016).
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416:Jessen, Kenneth (July 26, 2014).
286:French fur trappers in the area.
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657:Robert Root (13 November 2012).
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612:Bromwell, Henrietta E. (1926).
535:Jessen, Kenneth (May 7, 2023).
713:Mariano Medina Family Cemetery
688:Harold Marion Dunning (1956).
383:, pioneer teacher near Namaqua
155:, some of its other names are
1:
1163:Historical trails of Colorado
701:. Johnson Publishing Company.
692:. Johnson Publishing Company.
459:. Caxton Press. p. 217.
238:on the Salt Lake expedition (
1081:Fort Logan National Cemetery
1086:Fort Lyon National Cemetery
992:(Cantonment at Uncompahgre)
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1199:Trading posts in Colorado
811:List of forts in Colorado
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1126:Battle of Summit Springs
1120:Battle of Beecher Island
205:Santa Fe de Nuevo México
173:Larimer County, Colorado
1039:(Fort Sangre de Cristo)
955:American Ranch massacre
585:The Rocky Mountain News
236:Albert Sidney Johnston
175:. In 1862, it became a
821:Prehistory of Colorado
734:40.39417°N 105.12472°W
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196:
97:40.39972°N 105.12194°W
697:Zethyl Gates (1981).
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293:where it crossed the
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1153:List of mountain men
943:Fort Pueblo Massacre
739:40.39417; -105.12472
638:. Loveland, Colorado
424:. Loveland, Colorado
314:List of mountain men
220:American Fur Company
102:40.39972; -105.12194
1108:Battle of Julesburg
1102:Sand Creek massacre
1074:National cemeteries
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203:in the province of
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1017:Fort Massachusetts
978:Extinct or museums
863:Fort Davy Crockett
816:Colorado Territory
381:Sarah Milner Smith
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338:Big Thompson River
307:Loveland, Colorado
299:Loveland, Colorado
295:Big Thompson River
224:United States Army
207:(now the state of
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169:Loveland, Colorado
157:Mariano's Crossing
36:Nickname(s):
1184:Forts in Colorado
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1114:Comanche campaign
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830:Trading posts and
670:978-0-8061-8413-5
498:978-1-61423-903-1
466:978-0-87004-565-3
252:Randolph B. Marcy
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969:U.S. and Spanish
906:Fort Uncompahgre
900:Fort Saint Vrain
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262:), and Captain
244:John C. Frémont
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116:United States
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78:Coordinates:
51:
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1095:Major events
1037:Spanish Fort
996:Fort Garland
985:Camp Collins
949:Colorado War
936:Major events
928:(Fort Leche)
911:Fort Vasquez
895:Fort Namaqua
894:
874:Fort Jackson
698:
689:
659:
652:
640:. Retrieved
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589:. Retrieved
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540:. Retrieved
487:
455:
426:. Retrieved
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358:
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330:South Platte
322:
303:
288:
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260:William Bent
232:Fort Laramie
228:Fort Bridger
217:
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165:trading post
160:
156:
153:Fort Namaqua
152:
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63:Fort Namaqua
30:Trading post
23:Fort Namaqua
1116:(1867–1875)
1064:Camp Carson
1060:Fort Carson
1045:(Camp Weld)
1022:Fort Morgan
1013:(Fort Wise)
951:(1863–1865)
916:Fort Wicked
889:Fort Mary B
884:Fort Lupton
879:Fort Le Duc
737: /
268:Jim Bridger
100: /
1178:Categories
1006:Fort Logan
1001:Fort Lewis
725:105°7′29″W
722:40°23′39″N
591:2024-03-14
542:2024-03-14
388:References
345:Ute people
332:, and old
324:Texas and
312:See also:
272:Kit Carson
250:, Captain
248:Kit Carson
213:Castillian
209:New Mexico
88:105°7′19″W
85:40°23′59″N
1043:Fort Weld
1011:Fort Lyon
926:Milk Fort
857:El Pueblo
276:Jim Baker
804:Overview
797:Colorado
642:June 10,
428:June 10,
375:See also
240:Utah War
163:, was a
145:Loveland
125:Colorado
365:Laporte
319:Namaqua
256:Charles
135:Larimer
113:Country
1134:(1879)
1128:(1869)
1122:(1868)
1110:(1865)
1104:(1864)
1053:Active
957:(1865)
945:(1854)
667:
495:
463:
369:Denver
274:, and
131:County
839:Forts
793:Forts
617:(PDF)
121:State
665:ISBN
644:2018
493:ISBN
461:ISBN
430:2018
367:and
258:and
230:and
201:Taos
159:and
141:Town
795:in
301:.
242:),
171:in
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
