[2] The geologist, Albert Charles Peale named Paradox in 1875; he declared that the Dolores River had the “desire to perform strange and unexpected things”[3] due to the unusual course of the river.

[5] George R. Eichler wrote in the book, Colorado Place Names, that Paradox was nearly inaccessible to early settlers.

To enter the valley, travellers had to disembark to unload their wagons.

[4] The Paradox area had originally been home to the Ute people.

[9] Uranium ore was first discovered at the Raja mine, and a sample was shipped to Marie Curie in France,[7] although other sources state that specimens were shipped to Freidel and Cumenge in France for analysis.