Bent County, named for historic Bent's Fort, was so big when it was created in 1870 that it later was divided into six parts of about a million acres each. As the plains north and south of the Arkansas River were settled, the State Legislature found it necessary to establish county seats within a day's horse-and-buggy travel time of the pioneers. In 1889 they carved out five new counties--Prowers, Kiowa, Otero, Cheyenne, and Lincoln.--From Colorado: South of the Border