Fountain City

In the winter of 1858-59 Pikes Peak gold seekers laid out a settlement along Fountain Creek just above its mouth. Before spring they had erected thirty log and adobe cabins, most of the adobes coming from the walls of the old Pueblo a half mile to the west. The new settlement was given the name of Fountain City, although – even as early as the spring of 1859 – some visitors were already referring to it as the town of Pueblo.

David Kellogg, October 1858 – February 1859.

When the Kellogg party of gold seekers passed near the old Pueblo in late October of 1858, they found George McDougal already living there. McDougal was no newcomer to the area. As early as 1854 he had occupied Joseph Doyle’s abandoned placita at the mouth of the St. Charles River, just six miles east of the Pueblo. Later he had spent some time at Autobees' ranch on the Huerfano River before returning east. In the summer of 1858 he had returned west with the Cherokee Party of John Beck. When the Cherokees abandoned the gold chase, McDougal chose to settle at the mouth of Fountain Creek. He was still there to welcome Kellogg and some two hundred other gold seekers, who came to winter over at the new settlement they would call Fountain City.

“October 24th [1858] ...Reached the mouth of Fontaine Qui Bouille... Concealed among a lot of rocks on the point over which our trail passes was an Arapahoe, watching the country around for the signs of Utes. From daylight to dusk an Indian lookout is always stationed here by whatever tribe happens to have possession. We find a number of adobe houses and a few log huts, all empty save one...We find George McDougal living here with a Mexican woman and several greasers.

"Lookout Hill" at the site of Fountain City

“McDougal took us to his smokehouse which was filled with antelope hams and invited us to help ourselves; he gave us much useful information concerning the country, the route and the Indians....
[January, 1859] “Rogers and I go down to the Arkansas...When we arrive again at Pueblo we take possession of an empty log house and settle down ....
“One day McDougal came into the adobe where were Wagoner, Tarquinton and myself. Pointing his finger at Wagoner he said, ‘That man's no gentleman; he is a damn puppy, sir, damn puppy.’ Then he walked out. This was because Wagoner had acted as our engineer in laying out a town, taking in both sides of Fountain Creek to its mouth. McDougal claimed to be the original settler; he said that he and he alone had any right to lay out a town. That a half-mile square was his by ‘Squatter right.’ He had no fears that previous settlers might appear to dispute his title. After consultation it was agreed that the wanton insult offered Wagoner must be resented and Tarquinton was sent to McDougal to say ‘If you have any message for Wagoner I will deliver it.’ McDougal snapped ‘You know the code, sir, you know the code,’ and turned on his heel. According to the code it was Wagoner's place to challenge, but we would not allow it and have him shot down by McDougal, who was known to be a dead shot with either rifle of revolver. At Wagoner's request it was agreed that if McDougal challenged, Wagoner was to choose double-barreled shotguns loaded with buck shot, which would have given him as even chance with McDougal.”

Source: "Across the Plains in 1858," by David Kellogg. The Trail, Vol.V, No.7&8 (December, 1912 & January 1913).

Samuel D. Raymond, 27 May 1859.

Raymond was in the vanguard of the great Pike’s Peak Gold Rush. When he arrived at Fountain City in late May of 1859, he found the town – which he called “Pueblo” – already well established.

“Arrived at Pueblo the great City as we supposed it was. Found it to consist of a number of log shanties and some (?) ones with roofs nearly flat and covered with poles and dirt. There was but one woman in the whole place to bee seen - being inhabited principally by hunters & a few Mexicans. They are cultivating the land a good deal and raising a good deal of corn etc.”

Source:"Samuel D. Raymond Journal," edited by Lloyd W. Gundy. Wagon Tracks, Vol.10, No.1 (November, 1995).

George M. Willing, 6 June 1859.

Gold seeker George M. Willing was a doctor by profession, a geologist by avocation, and a critic by nature. His observations about the new town at the mouth of Fountain Creek were anything but flattering.

“Two o'clock, P.M., reach Pueblo, a miserable village of about thirty log huts on the 'Fontain qui bouile,' or Boiling Spring creek. The population is a conglomeration of Mexican, American and Indian, but all ugly alike, filthy alike, and lazy alike. The men at present are in the mines, but do nothing when at home beyond trapping and hunting. They make a small pretence at farming, but it hardly goes beyond a feint. Their bread, when they have any, they obtain from Taos, their meat from the mountains, a few vegetables from their patches, and fish from the stream. Such is their life. We pass the place, and camp at 6 p.m. a few miles beyond it ....”

Source: "Diary of a Journey to the Pike's Peak Gold Mines in 1859," by Dr. George M. Willing. Edited by Ralph P. Bieber, The Mississippi Valley Historical Reveiw, Vol.XIV (June 1927-March 1938).

A.M. Gass, 9 June 1859.

Gass and his fellow gold seekers from Texas had followed along the south side of the Arkansas until just seventeen miles from the mouth of Fountain Creek. After crossing the river, they followed the regular trail to Fountain City.

“Today we have traveled up the north side of the Arkansaw, until noon, when we got to Fountain city, which consists of forty or fifty log and mud cabins, inhabited by Americans and Mexicans; or rather WERE; for most of them have gone to the diggings.”

Source: "Diary of A.M. Gass," Overland Routes to the Gold Fields, 1859, ed. by LeRoy R. Hafen. (Glendale, Calif.: The Arthur H. Clark Co., 1942).

Charles C. Post, 21 June 1859.

Gold seeker Charles Post was a 28-year-old lawyer from Decatur, Illinois. So anxious were he and his friend Cutter to reach the gold diggings, that they had fallen into the habit of riding ahead of their wagon train.

“Tuesday, June 21st. Camp No.39. It rained some, last night. Roads free from dust (a pleasant riddance of a great pest). We were this morning twenty-four miles from Fountain City or Old Spanish Fort Pueblo. So Cutter and myself set out to visit the city and ride back to camp...at twenty-four miles we came to F.C. at one-half past twelve o'clock. It is located at the junction of the Fontainee Qui Boniat with the Arkansas river in a very pretty spot, being protected on northwest and southwest and northeast by high hills or bluffs and consists of about four hewn log houses which were all or nearly all, empty - owners having gone to the diggin's. It will some day be a good point.”

Source: "Diary of Charles C. Post," Overland Routes to the Gold Fields, 1859, ed. by LeRoy R. Hafen. (Glendale, Calif.: The Arthur H. Clark Co., 1942).

Sylvester Davis, 30 August 1859.

Davis paused at Fountain City on his way to Santa Fe. His visit happened to coincide with the summer’s harvest.

“Tuesday August 30. pleasant. Drove on & came to Fountain City, a small place with about 15 mud, houses, the Inhabitants were about all Americans.. they Raise some vegitables, water melons & musk melons, cucumbers, corn, turnips etc by irrigating the soil.”

New Mexico Historical Review, Vol.VI, No.4 (October, 1931).

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