Native Americans traversed through the Palmer Divide, including Table Rock, where evidence of a grave was found on the Table Rock formation, a medicine wheel was found, as well as arrowheads. The tribes that traveled through the area included the Ute, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Kiowa.[2]
Patrick Murphy came to Table Rock in 1870, homesteaded the land, built a solid-enduring log cabin, and established a farm and ranch of 1,160 acres.[3]
Benjamin G. Norvell homesteaded at Table Rock in 1873.[4] J.G. Evans homesteaded at Table Rock in 1884 and established a ranch of 1,750 acres.[5] One of the early families to settle in the area were Eva and Thomas Thompson, who came across the plains in a covered wagon in 1890. They had a ranch at Table Rock. Another was Lou Stepler, a potato farmer.[2]
The first country schoolhouse of El Paso County was built in the settlement.[6] In 1918, a severe flu epidemic hit the area and for the community's safety families often did not hold funerals or held private funerals.[2]
