It takes a lot of courage to leave the familiar and travel thousands of miles to the unknown west. But that is what the Colorado pioneers did. They left the overcrowded states in the east to take a risk by moving westward.
From there, they built the state of Colorado and built a unique community. Let’s take a look back and relive the pioneer days at these spots:
Gunnison Pioneer Museum
Not only for Colorado history enthusiast but for the classic car guys as well. Aside from preserving the history of the Gunnison County pioneers, they also showcase an antique car museum featuring 25 completely restored classic cars. The museum also features different artifacts and memorabilia from the pioneer days, and the Denver & Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Train.
Wild West Ghost Town Museum
If you want an experience that is as authentic as it can get to the pioneer days, then the Wild West Ghost Town Museum is for you. Don’t be misled by the name, there are no ghosts or other scary things here. What you get is interactive things to do like panning for gold, cranking a butter churn, or live your wild, wild, west dream and shoot ‘em up at the shooting gallery. The museum also has thousands of preserved old west artifacts for the visitors’ appreciation.
Four Mile Historic Park
This 12-acre museum is massive. One of the highlights is the guided tour of the Four Mile House, which was built as a homestead in 1859. Get a feel of what life was back in the pioneer days with historical buildings like an old school house, teepees, a blacksmith shop, a miner’s cabin, and a farm. They even have live animals and you can even go on a horse-drawn wagon ride. Take your whole family and have a picnic wearing pioneer outfits.
Pioneer Town
photo credit: Pioneer Town
This place will take you back to the pioneer days more than 100 years ago. Step back into memory lane and ring the bell atop the Sand Creek Schoolhouse. Walk along the old Main street and check out the Coalby Store, where Pioneers picked up supplies. Visit the Charles state museum, where you will not only see displays about the old pioneer life but also see largest dinosaur footprint ever found. You can stroll around the old town but don’t do anything fishy. You might get caught by the Sheriff and you might just find yourself inside the original 1906 unheated jail.
