Colorado Once Closed Its Southern Border to Everyone

For 10 days in 1936, Colorado's southern borders were closed to keep others from entering the state.

On April 18, 1936, Colorado's Governor Edwin "Big Ed" Johnson declare martial law and instructed the state's National Guard and militia to patrol the southern borders of the state. Cars and trains were stopped and searched.

The Federal government had encouraged Americans to go west to try farming instead of remaining unemployed with no jobs.

Jobs in Colorado, according to the governor, belonged to Coloradans. He was not willing to allow anyone other states to take jobs from people who lived in Colorado already.

Even people who were not staying in the state were not allowed to pass through.

The ban lasted only ten days, as the state of New Mexico condemned the action and threatened to boycott Colorado businesses unless it was lifted.

So, for those ten days, Colorado closed its borders. No southern access to the state.