Around the Spanish Peaks

by Butler, Mike

• ISBN13: 9780738576244
• ISBN10: 0738576247
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-03-26
• Publisher: Arcadia Pub

Summary

Rising up to 13,623 feet above the plains, the twin Spanish Peaks in southern Colorado have been a beacon to travelers for centuries. Native Americans from the Comanche and Ute tribes pitched their teepees in the lush river valleys around the mountains. Spanish explorers from Mexico followed legends of gold here. Migrants on the Santa Fe Trail sighted the peaks at the end of their long trek across the Great Plains. Coal mining and railroads brought a new wave of settlers to the region in the 1870s. Today, visitors head to Walsenburg, La Veta, and Cuchara to enjoy the incredible mountain scenery and year-round recreational activities.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. 6
Introduction	p. 7
A Geologically Unique Region	p. 9
Native Americans and Francisco Fort	p. 21
La Veta and Its Stone Buildings	p. 29
Rails over La Veta Pass	p. 47
When Coal Was King in Walsenburg	p. 65
Coal Camps North and South of Walsenburg	p. 83
Cuchara from Camps to Ski Resort	p. 101
Recreation's Past, Present, and Future	p. 111
Farther around the Spanish Peaks	p. 121
Bibliography	p. 127
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