I have lived in Colorado all my life. During summer vacation, my parents would drive my brother and I all over the state. Everywhere you go, there are traces of the past that can really awaken your imagination, if you let it take ahold of you. Life in Colorado has been less than sustained: the Anasazi disappeared somewhat mysteriously leaving their splendid apartments in the cliffs behind. Fur trappers camped along the rivers until beaver pelts were no longer fashionable. Miners came and went, leaving ghost towns behind.
A simple drive out into the plains shows yet another side of Colorado. The Weld County grasslands are dotted with towns that look as if someone lived there just yesterday, yet nobody is home. Many of these towns dwindled and faded after the Burlington Northern route shut down. The dust bowl also made living difficult. This page is dedicated to one of my favorite ghost towns, Keota.
Library of Congress photos
