Colorado Territory 1863: The Colorado gold rush was over. Mining was in a shambles. The Civil War still raged and Indian uprisings on the Great Plains made travel dangerous. Nevertheless, Nathaniel P. Hill was captivated by the rough frontier and tempted by William Gilpin's invitation to investigate his land for gold and silver. Against his better judgment, Hill left his family and job as a chemistry professor at Brown University to work for the Colorado Territory's former governor. The result was nothing short of a revolutionary boost to the fledgling Colorado mining industry and the rerouting of his and his family's fortunes.