History

Spain sent out expeditions from Mexico City in the 1600's and discovered Indian settlements in and around current day Bent County boundaries. The Spanish named the Indians collectively as Apache.

The first recorded French explorers were the 1739 expeditions of the Mallet brothers. French influence on the area grew as several more French expeditions were made using the route that was to become the Santa Fe Trail.

After the French and Indian War of 1754 broke out, France bribed Spain with the Louisiana Territory to become their ally against England and all of Colorado became Spanish territory. Even though in 1792, Pedro (Pierre) Vial, a French explorer under the New Spain government, set out to establish a trade route between St. Louis and Santa Fe, Spain re-ceded the Territory to France in a secret treaty in 1800. France retained ownership until it was sold to the United States.

The area of the confluence of the Purgatoire River with the Arkansas River was chosen to become the vast John Martin Dam in 1936. In addition to storing water for irrigation, it has become a prime recreation area and a State Park.

The population of Bent County in 1870 was 591. In 1873 it had grown to 3,850. In 1900 the population was 3,049; and in 1940, 9,653.