Claimed by Spain in 1541

Claimed by Mexico in 1823

Part of Republic of Texas in 1836

Part of Texas when admitted to union in 1845

Part of Kansas Territory in 1854

Part of Colorado Territory in 1861

Part of Las Animas County when Colorado entered the Union in 1876

Became own county in 1889 by an act of the Colorado Legislature

Indians made their home in the area as far back as 385 AD.

Most of the farmland was homesteaded from 1900-1926. Much of it is still owned by members of those original families. Today's cowboys still drive, rope, and brand cattle as in generations past. Baca County is part of the real American West.

There is still evidence of where explorers, pioneers and homesteaders made their way across the region following one of the three distinct branches of the Santa Fe Trail crossing the southeastern corner of the county: 1. Cimarron Cutoff, 2. Aubry Cutoff, 3. Granada Fort Union Military Road.

Several cattle drive trails can still be seen across the county where livestock were herded from the southern plains to rail yards farther north for shipment back east.

Baca County was at one time known as the "Broomcorn Capital of the World". Broomcorn was first raised here as a crop in 1887. The brush or seed head from the broomcorn was used to make brooms for household use. Very little broomcorn is grown now.

The present day economy is based on ranching and farming, with irrigated row crops in the eastern part of the County.