COME TO LIFE | Experience Colorado’s History & Cultural Heritage North of Denver near Greeley, Dearfield ghost town was a once-booming community of 300 Black homesteaders who settled here in the early 1900s. Efforts to restore its buildings are underway. Still farther north, stop into Fort Collins’ Hattie McDaniel House. The childhood home of this actress, singer-songwriter and comedian isn’t gone with the wind (she played Mammy in that film) — it’s a standing memorial to her life and work. Elsewhere along the Front Range, a walking tour of Boulder’s Little Rectangle turns up clues about the city’s 1870s Black settlers in the former homes of some of its residents. Heading west, at the Barney Ford House in Breckenridge, learn about “the Baron of Colorado.” This formerly enslaved man was an entrepreneur and prominent businessman in addition to pioneering efforts for civil rights in the late 1800s. And swinging southward, at what is now the Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center, Black troops known as Buffalo Soldiers were stationed and served in innumerable ways in the late 1870s — from preventing conflict between the Native Americans and the white prospectors to guarding and repairing the post, and they even acted as its fire department. Get other ideas for celebrating our Black heritage, including eats and drinks, events and Black-owned businesses at Colorado.com/BlackHeritage and download History Colorado’s app to access their Black Heritage Trail tour. Discover a Colorado Taste of Asia Colorado’s Asian American and Pacific Islander population represent a vast diversity of heritages and experiences. Here’s how to immerse yourself in the culture, history and flavors of Korea, Japan, Vietnam and beyond. During World War II, more than 10,000 Japanese Americans were unjustly incarcerated at Amache, also called the Granada Relocation Center, near Granada in southeast Colorado. Uncover one of the darkest periods in American history at Amache — now the Amache National Historic Site — by touring the reconstructed buildings and exhibits. Designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, The Aspen Art Museum is an eye-catching sight. Admire the mesmerizing, woven-lattice exterior before venturing inside to view its contemporary exhibits. Tour the Denver Art Museum’s Asian Art collection — which comprises 7,000 masterpieces representing 6,000 years of history — to see beautiful court robes and accessories from China’s Qing Dynasty and ornately carved wooden figurines of Hindu gods from the 1800s. In Denver’s River North (RiNo) neighborhood, reserve a table at Hop Alley, where chef Tommy Lee serves modern interpretations of wok-fired Cantonese and Sichuan classics. Or snag a table at nearby Sushi-Rama, where rolls arrive at your table via conveyor belt. Meanwhile, must-stop destinations along bustling Federal Boulevard include Vinh Xuong Bakery, where the banh mi sandwiches get five-star reviews. Nearby Aurora’s South Havana Street has the largest concentration of Korean-owned businesses in the state. Start your journey at Seoul Korean BBQ and Hot Pot, where you can cook your own ingredients on tabletop grills or in vessels of bubbling broth, or The Pork Let, where Korean-Japanese fare is the draw. Trek to the Drala Mountain Center in Red Feather Lakes to marvel at the majestic Great Stupa at Dharmakaya. The 108-foot Buddhist symbol was built in 1988 to promote harmony, prosperity, longevity, good health and peace. Take part in the tradition of drinking tea at Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, where you can sip a robust variety imported from across the world in a building constructed of stunning tiles crafted by hand in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. For more ideas, including events and festivals, visit Colorado.com/TasteOfAsia. Cultural Heritage 56 1-800-COLORADO HIDDEN-GEM MUSEUMS Hit up some of Colorado’s smaller towns for niche museums that tell the true tales of the days of yore: Colorado.com/ GemMuseums
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2023: Page 56
