Treasury in Purgatory

A little more than a year would pass before Coronado would come to Colorado in search of Grande Quivera, the seven cities of gold. He became frustrated and returned to Mexico empty handed.

In the 1700's a group of Spaniards were transporting 12 chests of Spanish gold coin from Santa Fe New Mexico to San Augustine Florida. The regiment, led by a man by the name of Carrasco Rodriguez, took a round about way through Colorado rather than taking a more direct southerly route. You have to wonder if it was to throw would be thieves off the track. That is the only reason I could think of anyway.

The regiment was caught by a winter storm and forced to stay near what is now Trinidad Colorado. When spring finally arrived, Rodriguez must have had a really bad sense of direction, because he headed off in the opposite direction than the one he was supposed to have taken. No one ever heard from any member of the party again.

Some say the regiment buried the treasure along the banks of the Purgatory. However it is more likely that they were attacked by Indians that roamed the area. The Indians would have taken the horses, food and any other useful items. The gold would have been of no value to them and was probably tossed away, in the canyon or caves. It just would not have meant anything to them.

In 1924 a suit of Spanish armor was found along the banks of the Purgatory, and in a nearby cave, a skeleton and an ancient firearm. Other things found in various places in Purgatory Canyon are: a large piece of leather harness ornately decorated with silver, Spanish gold coins and ingots.