|
|
|
Astor House Museum and Clear Creek History Park |
|
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Astor House Museum in Golden has been restored to its original glory as a late Victorian western hotel / boarding house. It offers a look into the life of Ida Goetze, boarding house residents, Golden founders and pioneers, as well as Victorian material culture. The Clear Creek History Park provides history-based educational opportunities interpreting the Golden region from 1843-1900. Using skilled living history interpreters, the Park provides visitors with diverse hands-on experiences designed to enable the public to see and use restored structures and period replicas which illustrate the lives of late 19th century Golden area residents.
|
|
|
|
Bent's Old Fort |
|
Visit a reconstructed fort, originally built in 1833. It served as the center of the Bent, St. Vrain Company's expanding trade empire. Later it also served as a U.S. Army supply center. Bent's Old Fort is located in La Junta. |
|
|
|
Buffalo Bill Grave and Museum |
|
Come learn about the life and times of William F. Cody, also known as "Buffalo Bill." Located on Lookout Mountain overlooking Golden, explore exhibits featuring Sitting Bull's bow and arrows, Buffalo Bill's show outfits, and more. Also visit the grave of Buffalo Bill. |
|
|
|
California National Historic Trail |
|
The California Trail carried over 250,000 gold-seekers and farmers to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840's and 1850's, the greatest mass migration in American history. Today, more than 1,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen in the vast undeveloped lands between Casper Wyoming and the West Coast, reminders of the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of early American travelers and settlers. More than 240 historic sites along the trail will eventually be available for public use and interpretation. The trail passes through the states of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, and California.
|
|
|
|
Cañon City Municipal Museum and Rudd House |
|
Tour the Anson and Harriet Rudd Cabin, built in 1860, preserved as part of the Cañon City Municipal Museum, and numerous displays of artifacts from Cañon City’s history. The two galleries contain game trophies, fossils, minerals, weaponry, tools, household objects and American Indian artifacts from the 1860s to the 1950s.
|
|
|
|
Colorado Railroad Museum |
|
The Colorado Railroad Museum is recognized as one of the best privately supported rail museums in the United States. This "can't miss" site for railfans features over 70 historic narrow and standard gauge locomotives and cars exhibited on 15 acres at the foot of North Table Mountain, near Golden, Colorado.
|
|
|
|
Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum |
|
The mission of the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum is to collect, preserve, research and interpret the history and culture of the Pikes Peak Region. The Museum is housed in the beautifully restored 1903 El Paso County Courthouse.
|
|
|
|
Forney Transportation Museum |
|
The Forney Transportation Museum in Denver is a one-of-a-kind collection of over 500 exhibits relating to historical transportation. It began with antique cars, but soon expanded to include vehicles of all kinds. The museum houses "Big Boy," the world's largest steam locomotive, railcars, cabooses, coaches, a diner, antique cars, buggies, carriages, wagons, fire engines, aircraft, Denver's only cable car, trolleys, steam tractor, models, motorcycles, bicycles, costumes, music boxes, and more. |
|
|
|
Fort Morgan Museum |
|
Come explore Ft. Morgan, the boyhood home of Glenn Miller. Exhibits include the Old Hillrose Soda Fountain, farming exhibits, Native American exhibits, and more, all focused on the history of the Ft. Morgan area. |
|
|
|
Fort Sedgwick Historical Society |
|
The Fort Sedgwick Historical Society features collections in two museums: The Depot Museum, housing relics documenting the early pioneer life, and the newer Fort Sedgwick Museum which contains the interpretative displays, Book Corner, Austin Research Room, and society offices. The Fort Sedgwick Museum is open year-round. The Depot Museum is open during the summer season. Both are located in Julesburg. |
|
|
|
Fort Uncompahgre Living History Museum |
|
Fort Uncompahgre was first established as a fur trading post around 1826, by Antione Robidoux near the present sight of Delta , Colorado. Fort Uncompahgre today recreates the sights, sounds, the feelings and the experience of visiting the original post, offering guided tours by interpreters clothed in period attire.
|
|
|
|
Fort Vasquez Museum |
|
Fort Vasquez Museum, 35 miles northeast of downtown Denver on U.S. Highway 85, features displays that interpret the fur-trade era. Annual educational events offered by the museum include the Kids' Fur Trade Rendezvous in September and May, and the Rendezvous Workshop Series in October and April. Visit the site of an 1835 fur-trading fort, and follow the paths of founders Louis Vasquez and Andrew Sublette. |
|
|
|
Four Mile Historic Park |
|
On the banks of Cherry Creek, just four miles from downtown Denver, Four Mile Historic Park is a 12 acre oasis featuring Denver’s oldest standing structure, pioneer exhibits, special events for all ages, and guided tours that transport visitors to Colorado’s frontier past. Four Mile House was once a wayside inn and stage stop.
|
|
|
|
Ghost Town Wild West Museum |
|
As a true preservation of Colorado’s western past, Ghost Town Museum is a fun and historic look back at kind of old west town that used to dot this region during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Located in Colorado Springs. |
|
|
|
Grand County Museum Complex |
|
Housed in the old Hot Sulphur Springs School, exhibits include a display detailing the beginning of the ski industry in Colorado, 8,500 year old artifacts of Windy Gap, and a Pioneer Woman exhibit. |
|
|
|
|
|
McAllister House Museum |
|
Tour one of the oldest homes in Colorado Springs with knowledgeable guides and staff who recreate the atmosphere of the early history of the family and city, making the house and its occupants live again. Restored to its original Victorian elegance by the National Society of Colonial Dames. |
|
|
|
Meeker Home |
|
The 1870 home of Greeley's founding family, Nathan Meeker and his family. It is built of adobe bricks in keeping with the ecology of the region. It is filled with many Meeker family belongings and furnishings of the 19th century and is open for touring from May through September.
|
|
|
|
Miners Museum |
|
In the "school room" of the museum, Lafayette's educational heritage has been well preserved. Pictures, trophies and memorabilia are available for viewing. A small bedroom also contains vintage clothing and accessories from the turn of the century. The museum is open to the public all year long. |
|
|
|
Montrose County Historical Museum |
|
The Museum focuses on early-day pioneer life, with a walk-through of a Homesteader's Cabin, equipped with furnishings and memorabilia. Also offers one of the most extensive collections of Farm Machinery in the state, including horse-drawn reapers, planters, plows, and a hay baler. The "County Store" exhibits wares, household objects, and tools. The Children's Corner contains dolls, toys, and baby furniture. The Museum's Library contains a complete set of Montrose newspapers from 1896-1940, a photo collection of the Montrose area, historical publications, and oral histories.
|
|
|
|
Museum of Northwest Colorado |
|
Take a look at Colorado's frontier history at the Museum of Northwest Colorado in Craig. Also houses the Cowboy and Gunfighter Museum. |
|
|
|
Old Spanish National Historic Trail |
|
Santa Fe emerged as the hub of the overland continental trade network linking Mexico and United States markets—a network that included not only the Old Spanish Trail, but also the Santa Fe Trail and El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. After the United States took control of the Southwest in 1848 other routes to California emerged, and use of the Old Spanish Trail sharply declined. Because of its rich history and national significance, the Old Spanish Trail has been designated as a national historic trail.
|
|
|
|
Ouray County Museum |
|
Explore the history of Ouray County with special and permanent exhibits, including a look at the mining history of the area. The museum is located in Ouray. |
|
|
|
Overland Trail Museum |
|
The Overland Trail Museum in Sterling commemorates the historic westward migration of gold seekers and early pioneers. The “village” behind the main structure has several buildings from pre-1915: a one-room schoolhouse, church, store, blacksmith shop, farm machinery, and the granary barn, which has branding irons, saddles, and other farm and ranch equipment. |
|
|
|
Pony Express National Historic Trail |
|
The Pony Express National Historic Trail was used by young men on fast paced horses to carry the nation's mail across the country, from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California, in the unprecedented time of only ten days. Organized by private entrepreneurs, the horse-and-rider relay system became the nation's most direct and practical means of east-west communications before the telegraph. Though only in operation for 18 months, between April 1860 and October 1861, the trail proved the feasibility of a central overland transportation route, and played a vital role in aligning California with the Union in the years just before the Civil War. Most of the original trail has been obliterated either by time or human activities. Along many segments, the trail's actual route and exact length are matters of conjecture. However, approximately 120 historic sites may eventually be available to the public, including 50 existing Pony Express stations or station ruins. |
|
|
|
ProRodeo Hall of Fame Museum |
|
The Hall is located in Colorado Springs adjacent to the National Headquarters of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and is the only heritage center in the world devoted exclusively to professional rodeo. Visitors to the Hall are greeted by "The Champ," a larger-than-life bronze statue of the legendary Casey Tibbs aboard the famed saddle bronc "Necktie." |
|
|
|
Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site |
|
The spirited history of the Pikes Peak Region comes to life at Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site. Discover the American Indian Area, visit the 1860s Galloway Homestead, the 1880s Chambers Farm and the 1907 Orchard House. Knowledgeable interpreters present the true-to-life history of the people of the Pikes Peak Region.
|
|
|
|
Santa Fe National Historic Trail |
|
Between 1821 and 1880, the Santa Fe Trail was primarily a commercial highway connecting Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico. From 1821 until 1846, it was an international commercial highway used by Mexican and American traders. In 1846, the Mexican-American War began. The Army of the West followed the Santa Fe Trail to invade New Mexico. When the Treaty of Guadalupe ended the war in 1848, the Santa Fe Trail became a national road connecting the United States to the new southwest territories. Commercial freighting along the trail continued, including considerable military freight hauling to supply the southwestern forts. The trail was also used by stagecoach lines, thousands of gold seekers heading to the California and Colorado gold fields, adventurers, fur trappers, and emigrants. In 1880 the railroad reached Santa Fe and the trail faded into history. |
|
|
|
University of Denver Museum of Anthropology |
|
Explore the DU Museum of Anthropology, located on the campus of the University of Denver. The Museum houses 165,000 archaeological and ethnographic objects and site collections and records from over 1,800 Colorado archaeological sites and from hundreds of other sites in twelve western states. |
|
|
|
Western Museum of Mining & Industry |
|
Nestled along the Front Range in scenic Colorado Springs you will find the Western Museum of Mining and Industry (WMMI). Among the museum's attractions, you will find mining artifacts, a 12,000 volume research library available by appointment, a museum store and historic machinery that actually works. WMMI, is a nonprofit educational museum dedicated to preserving the West's mining heritage.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|