Everyone knows Breckenridge as one of America’s top ski resorts. But not many visitors know that the town also owns a rich history of mining dating to the discovery of gold in 1859. Even fewer are aware that one of Colorado’s most important pioneers lived and worked in the small mining camp during its founding … Read more
More than a century ago residents of south Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood woke up to rambling trolley cars scooching along Old South Pearl Street. The area was initially incorporated in 1886 as the Town of South Denver. James Fleming, a Pennsylvania transplant and the town’s only mayor, built his stately, stone-walled estate in 1882 at … Read more
What’s with the Dalmatians? Here’s another one, printed on the Children’s Gallery Guide. He is a funny looking cartoon dog carrying a water hose and wearing a firefighter’s helmet. “I need one just like him,” my 3-year old exclaims, excitedly pointing at the picture. The dog’s name is “Squirt,” his 6-year old sister reads aloud, … Read more
The shining gold dome of the Colorado Capitol in the mile-high city of Denver stands as a striking tribute to Colorado’s mining heritage and as a symbol of Denver’s victory as the heart of Colorado. Hundreds of visitors explore the Colorado Capitol each day to learn about the building’s history on free guided tours, or … Read more
Like most metropolitan cities with a vibrant downtown, Denver has a historic past still preserved. What once was a crude mining town attracting citizens with the prospect of gold, Denver quickly grew to become Colorado’s cultured capital. The movers and shakers behind this growth left their mark and sometimes even their homes as evidence of … Read more
You can’t miss Lyons Fork when strolling through downtown Lyons, Colorado. The old-timey building, once home to historic McAllister Saloon, lures visitors with its cute exterior, but don’t be fooled. This restaurant is no tourist trap. Wayne and Debbie Anderson reopened this historic café, formerly known as Cilantro Mary’s, in 2010. The couple didn’t overhaul … Read more
Colorful Colorado has been the filming site for thousands of movies. More than 600 are listed on www.imdb.com alone. Among them are some great movies like Robert Redford in Downhill Racer or John Wayne in True Grit. Remember Woody Allen in Sleeper or Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber? But for the true Colorado, check … Read more
Colorado’s Western Slope offers a terrain of bold beauty and ageless history. In this realm of bluffs and buttes dinosaurs once roamed, cliff-dwellers farmed and miners sluiced streams in an elusive search for wealth. For the summer visitor, the ground between mountains and desert typically features brilliant days and balmy nights. Adventurers have trails to … Read more
Frisco, a mountain town 70 miles west of Denver, is called Main Street to the Rockies. It’s the gateway to four major Colorado resorts – Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin. During the 1930s’ Great Depression, Frisco nearly became a ghost town, with only 18 residents at one point. It rebounded but, not being … Read more
On the Silver Thread Scenic and Historic Byway, modern travelers view sights that marveled 1870s stagecoach passengers. The mighty Rio Grande carves huge curves through a lush valley. Centuries-old mudslides scar a mountain slope. The jagged profile of the San Juan Mountains etches the western horizon. As the 75-mile route follows Colorado 149 from South … Read more