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Few white Americans
came to Colorado until the 1859 gold rush drew thousands of gold
seekers. They formed the city of Denver, and Colorado was soon
declared a territory. By 1870, many are talking of statehood.
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Worthington Whittredge began painting
professionally at age 17, though his first jobs were painting
houses and signs! He soon turned to fine art, painting portraits
and then landscapes. He spent a decade learning his craft in Germany
before returning to America, where he discovered the western landscape.
You come upon him on the plains of eastern Colorado.
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"Welcome to Colorado! I'm Worthington Whittredge.
"So you want to be an artist—an admirable goal!
I left home when I was seventeen to paint. And I did what you're
doing: I traveled (to Europe) and worked with famous painters
(like Bierstadt—have you met him yet? I think he’s in California
these days).
And now here I am, enjoying the vast and peaceful American Plains."
 "Why
do you like the Plains so much?"
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