Modern-day Salida is admired and sought out for its natural beauty.
Surrounded by numerous 14,000-foot, snow-covered mountains that feed the
Arkansas River's rushing whitewater, the quiet and hospitable town is
situated in a picturesque valley that draws tens of thousands of
visitors for summer and winter activities. But nearly 130 years ago,
most of the people were coming to the area known as South Arkansas for
new opportunities and the fortunes they hoped to find. The images in
this book offer a glimpse of some of those individuals and times-the
early settlers, miners, railroaders, forestry pioneers, and families who
spawned commerce and businesses that held the community together when
hard times hit. The photographs reveal the rich variety of people, how
they worked, how they played, and how they made Colorado their home.