(North Platte, Nebr.) - Julesburg - Sterling; US 138. Nebraska Line to Sterling, 62 miles. Oil-processed road throughout. Union Pacific R.R. parallels entire route. Good accommodations.

This route, following the former South Platte River Trail, has been closely associated with the development of Colorado. Along the banks of the shallow many-islanded stream passed the Spanish explorer, Pedro de Villasur, in 1720; a century later came trappers for beaver skins, and fur traders who built well-fortified posts and bartered with Indians for buffalo hides; next, the Fifty-niners, lured by tales of fabulous gold strikes; then, an ever-increasing tide of settlers, pushing into a virgin country; and now, the tourists.

Low rolling hills, once covered with short curling buffalo grass, the range first of bison and then of vast herds of cattle, are now dotted with dry farms growing wheat and corn, and with fields irrigated for sugar beet culture. Farmers have plowed up the grass and fenced the open ranges. The rutted trail has become a broad paved highway.

US 138 crosses the NEBRASKA LINE, 0 miles at the extreme northeastern corner of Colorado, 61 miles west of North Platte, Nebr. (see Nebraska Guide).

JULESBURG, 2 miles (3,500 alt., 1,467 pop.), lying among the broken hills in a curve of the South Platte River, is the only remaining town of four of the same name, each in its time an important stopover on the main trail to Denver. The present town, founded in 1881 when the Union Pacific Cutoff to Denver was projected, and still a division point on the main line, is the trading center for a large agricultural region.

Left from Julesburg on State 51 to the junction with a graveled road, 1.6 miles; R. here 3.6 miles to the ITALIAN'S CAVE, an enlargement of a natural fissure. Although legend has it that this was once the hide-out of Jules Beni, founder of Old Julesburg and subsequently an outlaw, the cave as seen today was the creation of Uberto Gabello, a miner from Cripple Creek, who enlarged the opening to obtain material for the construction of his house. Later he further enlarged the tunnel structure and derived a considerable revenue from visitors to this partly man-made cavern.

The SITE OF THE SECOND TOWN OF JULESBURG (R) is at 6 miles This town sprang up following the destruction of the first Julesburg, and was abandoned in 1867 when the third Julesburg was established.

On the SITE OF OLD JULESBURG, 9 miles, stood the first of the towns of that name, a station on the Overland Stage and the Pony Express routes, and a rendezvous for traders, Indian fighters, buffalo hunters, adventurers, bandits, and desperadoes, who rode into town to divide their loot and squander it riotously. Jules Beni, the sullen bear-like French-Canadian station master, was the reputed leader of a band of outlaws in league with the Indians. Hostility of the Indians broke out into open warfare after 1862. Wagon trains were attacked and burned, and travelers were murdered. While the outrages were blamed on the numerous Indians in the region, the presence of white men in some of the war parties was attested by more than one survivor. As coaches carrying the largest specie shipments were singled out for attack, Jules Beni was believed to have instigated these raids. Although proof was lacking, the stage company finally dismissed Beni and appointed Joseph (Jack) Slade as station master. Slade, one of the toughest men on an extremely tough frontier, immediately found himself a target for the hostility of Jules Beni, who brooded over his displacement as station manager. The feud reached a climax when Beni filled Slade with enough buckshot to kill an ordinary man. Slade lived, however, to boast that he would cut off Jules' ears and wear them as watch charms. He captured Beni near Fort Laramie, Wyo., and killed him, so legend has it, after prolonged torture; there were many who asserted that they had seen the tokens of Slade's vengeance dangling from his watch chain. Slade in turn was later accused of robbing wagon trains along the Overland Trail, but all the evidence seems to be against it. Relieved of his post because of his violence when drunk, Slade was soon hanged by Vigilantes in Virginia City, Mont.— for disturbing the peace.

There are many who believe that the robbers buried much of their loot near Julesburg—the Italian's Cave being one of the favorite spots for treasure seekers—but none has ever been found. This Julesburg was completely destroyed during an Indian raid in 1865.

A granite marker, 9.6 miles, indicates the SITE OF FORT SEDCWICK (R), a military post established to protect travelers and named for General John Sedgwick of the Union Army. The post, built in 1864, was garrisoned until 1871, when the Indians of this area were subjugated. Only traces of the old buildings remain; the wooden stockade has disappeared.

At 10 miles is the junction with a dirt road.

Right 1.6 miles on this road, crossing the South Platte River, to OVID (fee below).

At 5 miles is the junction with a dirt road.

Right on this road, which parallels the railroad tracks, to a siding known as WEIR, 025 miles, the SITE OF THE THIRD TOWN OF JULESBURG, once called "the wickedest little city east of the Rockies." Like Old Julesburg, it was headquarters for the riffraff of the West. Railroad huskies mingled with painted ladies, gamblers, soldiers, and frontiersmen in the dusty plains city, with its narrow, crowded streets, dance halls, barrooms, and gambling dens. This Julesburg came into being as a construction camp when the Union Pacific was building its tracks westward across Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming, to meet the Central Pacific and tie East to West. "Blacksnake" Lachut came in 1867 and was employed as a teamster. His command of profanity was surpassed only by his proficiency with the whip, and Julesburg soon came to know and fear that whip. A drunken laborer jostled Lachut; like a snake, the latter's long whip uncoiled and knotted itself around the neck of the husky. After dragging his victim through the streets, the teamster loosened the thong and then cut the man to pieces with the lash. For amusement "Blacksnake" snapped cigars from the mouths of bystanders and broke the necks of bottles a room's width away; he delighted in flicking off the ornate buckle that supported the single strap of a dancing girl's costume. This sadistic bully left Julesburg in 1870 and disappeared into Mexico.

A more somber figure was Gypsy, who foretold the death of many, all of whom died violently within a few hours. One evening she embraced a young man, her favorite at the time, and sobbed that she did not want him to die. He laughed. She refused to be comforted on what she said would be their last evening together. Th« boy was fatally shot that night. Gypsy became dreaded in the town; men and women evaded her eye lest it bring death. Finally, so the story goes, she walked into a saloon one night and announced that she would not see another sunrise; when morning came, she was found dead in bed) whether from violence or natural causes is not recorded.

OVID, 9.5 miles (3,500 alt., 649 pop.), is a flourishing trading center and a sugar refining town.

SEDGWICK, 17.5 miles (3,500 alt., 444 pop.), is a shipping point in the heart of rich sugar-beet country.

CROOK, 33.4 miles (3,700 alt., 251 pop.), in the beet area, has a consolidated high school serving a large district. The surrounding country was the scene of great cattle round-ups in the 1880's when cowboys worked their way up the river, driving cattle that had been grazing on the plains, searching hills and breaks for strays.

ILIFF, 49 miles (3,998 alt., 266 pop.), was the site of the principal ranch house of John W. Iliff, chief of the cattlemen who became wealthy through grazing herds on buffalo grass. At one time Iliff owned 35,000 head of cattle and controlled most of the South Platte Valley. He opposed the coming of homesteaders, foreseeing the destruction of the open range. By having his numerous retainers take up homesteads throughout the region, Iliff maintained his seigniory for many years. Eventually his great ranch was broken up. The Iliff School of Theology (see Denver) was founded by his widow.

At 52.4 miles is the junction with State 113.

Right on this graveled road is PEETZ, 16.5 miles (4,300 alt., 244 pop.), serving a dry-farming region.

Left from Peetz 26 miles on a dirt road to CHIMNEY CANYONS (visited by permission of owner, whose farm is at junction of this road and State 113). In early days these rugged canyons were covered with red cedar trees, many of them 75 feet high. As they provided the only source of firewood, lumber, and fence posts for settlers as far distant as Julesburg and Sterling, the larger trees were cut down. The canyons are popular picnic and camp grounds.

In STERLING, 62 miles (3,947 alt., 7,195 pop.) (see Tour 1a), is the junction with US 6 (see Tour 1a).