History
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"Mission Viejo" was once near the shores of a vast inland sea during the time of the last dinosaurs of the Cretaceous Period, 65 million years ago. |
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American Indians first inhabited the area that is today Mission Viejo, Aurora Colorado, some 12,000 years ago. These "Ice Age" hunters made fluted spear points and pursued the big game that once inhabited the area such as wooly mammoth, giant sloth, camels and other now extinct animals. |
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Indians continued to pass through the area but it wasn't until around A.D. 1100 to A.D. 1200, that peoples, whom archaeologists call the "Woodland Culture", built semi-permanent homes in the area. These homes were small "pit houses". The new residents brought with them ceramic technology, probably from the Midwest. Denver International Airport revealed two of these structures and one was also found at Aurora Reservoir. |
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The area was abandoned until around 1600. The area then saw incursions of new Indian groups such as the Utes and Commanches. Then suddenly starting in the 1700's Arapahoe (which is what Arapahoe County is names for) and Cheyenne Indians (both of whom originally came from the Great Lakes region) made Colorado and the areas around "Mission Viejo" their home. |
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Conflicts soon arose in the 1850's when gold was discovered near Denver and a new path bringing settlers to the area, the "Smoky Hill Trail" cut through the lands once frequented by the Arapahoe and Cheyenne Indians. The conflicts culminated in the Sand Creek Massacre, which started the Indian Wars and eventual displacement of the Indians. |
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The land that is today "Mission Viejo" was once a homestead. The corner of Quincy Blvd. and Chambers Rd. was established as the ranching town of "Melvin". A prominent schoolhouse was located a mile west of Parker Rd. in the current Cherry Creek State Park. It was eventually moved to its new spot on the campus of Smoky Hill High School and Laredo Middle School where you can see it today. |
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Around 1972 Mission Viejo Company of California purchased 640 acres to be developed as "Mission Viejo" Colorado. Their idea was to create a planned development that was a small-scale replica of Mission Viejo California. |
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Mission Viejo Aurora was officially opened on September 24, 1972 with nine showhomes. The homes were designed with what was called "Western Living with a Spanish flair". Essentially the first few filings of homes had a unique modern architectural style that can best be described as a mix of California Western Ranch House, Usonian and Colorado Craftsman. These new styles soon revolutionized the housing market in the Denver area as many other builders offered their own versions of "California Contemporary". |
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The plan for Mission Viejo Aurora, like its big sister community in California, was envisioned with greenbelts, walking paths to school and shopping and a large community recreation center. Although the home styles changed throughout the building of the development the original plan remained intact. Like California, Mission Viejo built adobe retaining walls and their famous "Mission Bell" streetlights. |
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Although much has changed in those twenty-eight years, Mission Viejo remains a well loved community that stands out from the sea of surrounding neighborhoods. |