2016-12-22 02:29:17
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 was commanded by legendary frontiersman Kit Carson and had a garrison of more than 100 men 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 ST. ELMO GHOST TOWN, MILES/DENISE CHAMBERS 2 ST. ELMO GHOST TOWN For an adventurous exploration of a dusty town of yore, rent an ATV at the general store and cruise through St. Elmo’s abandoned streets, looking through windows that take you back to life during the mining boom. Residents of St. Elmo, near Buena Vista, took the last train out in 1922, leaving it as one of the best preserved ghost towns in Colorado. COLORADO.com/GhostTowns 3 COLORADO DAYS Denver’s History Colorado Center puts on an August event that truly lives up to the “hands-on” trope. Learn important life skills, like how to weave a traditional American Indian blanket, square dance and do rope tricks. Engage with performers detailing historic Colorado eras, like the story of Lincoln Hills, an African-American resort popular during the 1940s. Or, listen to traditional American Indian drummers and the dancers as they meticulously move to the beats. COLORADO.com/Events 4 SATISFY THAT SWEET TOOTH Stop by Beeyond the Hive in Salida, where a family-owned sweet-tooth satisfier has been in operation since 1908. Pick up an array of honey edibles, like the raw orange-blossom honey (only to be surpassed by the wildflower honey), or stock up on honey lotion and candles to capture the naturally sweet fragrance. COLORADO.com/CulinaryActivities MOLLY BROWN HOUSE, BETH SCHNEIDER 5 TOUR HISTORIC HOMESTEADS Any historic structure, from Durango’s Strater Hotel to Leadville’s Tabor Opera House, houses colorful human stories. Barney Ford, a businessman who escaped slavery’s shackles 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. 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. STRATER HOTEL IN DURANGO, ERIC LINDBERG 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. CHILE && FRIJOLES FESTIVAL, GREATER PUEBLO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 7 PUEBLO CHILE & FRIJOLES FESTIVAL We’re talking about the famed Pueblo green chile here. That city’s chile is so popular that every September, 100,000 people celebrate its harvest by strolling along Pueblo’s historic Union Avenue listening to live music, browsing through local art and, of course, smelling roasting chiles and then tasting the yummy dishes made 2 from them. COLORADO.com/Events WANT MORE? COLORADO.COM/HISTORY
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