People

Humans have been fascinated by the Florissant valley for thousands of years. The first people to discover the fossils were the native peoples of the area. Settlers and homesteaders came to the valley in the late 1800s as well as the first scientists. For many decades the valley was the location for several commercial quarry and tourist operations. In the summer of 1969 a legal battled ensued, involving citizens and scientists, which resulted in the creation of the Monument.