2018-12-13 04:00:35
There Will Not Be a Quiz, But Fun is Mandatory Learning about the history of your destination makes the place come alive with old stories and clues that give context and meaning to your travels. 1 FORT GARLAND MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTER Colorado’s historic forts open a window on the 1800s, when the area was settled by frontiersmen, military men, homesteaders, miners and more. Visit these historic sites to find out what life was like for Coloradans during the nation’s westward expansion. Fort Garland (east of Alamosa) was commanded by legendary frontiersman Kit Carson and had a garrison of more than 100 who protected the earliest settlers in the San Luis Valley. Tour original adobe buildings and view exhibits on how the fort was saved and preserved. COLORADO.com/Forts 2 TELLER CITY Southeast of Walden in the North Park area, this was a silver-mining camp set amid dense forests. The town boomed in the early 1880s with hundreds of log cabins and nearly 30 saloons, but was busted by 1902. Today, there’s a 3/4-mile loop trail that guides visitors through the scattered cabin remains and artifacts, as well as the surrounding peaceful scenery. COLORADO.com/GhostTowns 3 TOURS & TREKS Denver’s History Colorado Center puts on two- to six-hour tours and overnight treks each month with deep dives into Colorado stories. Past topics have included a tea at the Swan House in Loveland, an Irish tour of Denver, bus tours of forgotten neighborhoods and historic districts, guided hikes with the state’s archaeologists, a summer-blossoms trek to Crested Butte and others. historycolorado.org/tours-and-treks 4 LIVING HISTORY Colorado’s home to several living museums and villages, where you can tour buildings and see what life was like for the state’s early residents, including South Park City in Fairplay, Centennial Village Museum in Greeley, Bent’s Old Fort in La Junta, the Littleton Museum, Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site in Colorado Springs, Rangely Outdoor Museum, Frisco Historic Park and the Golden Historic Park and Four Mile Historic Park in Denver. COLORADO.com/Museums 5 HISTORIC HOMES Many of Colorado’s historic structures house colorful human stories. Barney Ford, a businessman who escaped slavery via the Underground Railroad, is honored at the Barney Ford House Museum in Breckenridge. The expansive lifestyle of a silver-mining magnate is preserved at the Hamill House in Georgetown. Victorian-era splendor and nine architectural styles bring the era to life at Miramont Castle in Manitou Springs. Cripple Creek’s Old Homestead House Museum was the fanciest Gold Rush brothel for a time. The 1883 Byers-Evans House Museum in Denver tours the home of two prominent local families, and no one can forget the “Unsinkable” Molly Brown, whose house museum in Denver pays homage to her enduring celebrity and contributions to women’s rights. 6 DRIVE OUR JOURNEY Your very own GPS-guided scavenger hunt of Colorado’s eastern plains is online at ourjourney.info. The area’s local historians have plotted a fun and surprising journey for you. When traveling this area, a must-see is the Kit Carson County Carousel in Burlington, where a 1905 carousel has been spinning since 1928 to its Wurlitzer Monster Military Band Organ. Stop to see the 1910 wood-frame Limon Railroad Depot, one of only three Rock Island depots in Colorado remaining in their place of operation. 7 SAMPLE WILD WEST & AG HERITAGE AT A COOL COUNTY FAIR Rousing pro rodeos, exhibits, farm animals and steaming delights on a stick are staples at Colorado’s show-stopping summer fairs. Nearly 60 county fairs take place annually statewide. Some faves include El Paso County Fair in Calhan, Logan County Fair & Rodeo in Sterling, Montrose County Fair and Rodeo, Archuleta County Fair in Pagosa Springs and San Luis Valley Fair in Monte Vista. COLORADO.com/Events WANT MORE? COLORADO.COM/HISTORY
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