People have long been drawn to South Park and Park County for wild game, water, salt, timber, minerals, open spaces, and sweeping mountain views, building homes and lives on the land and leaving countless marks of human labor. Ancient trails, spear points, bison kill sites, one-room cabins, empty mine shafts, and abandoned railroad grades reflect the lives of ordinary people, while historic sites preserve this national heritage. The Ute Indians coexisted with early settlers until 1859, when miners arrived, and later miners, Chinese workers, ranch travelers, preachers, and local figures such as Edna Miller and Sam Hartsel became part of the area's human story. The Forest Service, Park County, the Colorado Historical Society, and other state and local organizations work to protect the historic sites and landscapes of Park County.