Western Skies: August 7, 2011, “Uniquely Colorado”
This month we’re taking you on a trip through Colorado, visiting places and talking to people that help make the Centennial State what it is.
You can listen to the full episode, or download here.
You can also head to the individual segments for the audio and web extras:
The Great Road Trip through Southern Colorado
Caving in Colorado
The "Manassa Mauler"
The Museum of Colorado Prisons
Mission: Wolf
"The Dry:" African American Homesteaders in the Arkansas River Valley
The Great Road Trip through Southern Colorado
Big Something producers Noel Black and Craig Richardson took to the road this past July to meet some of our neighbors. This is their story.
Most people probably don't think of Colorado as a major "cave" state...but with over 1000 natural caves, Colorado is a caving paradise. Last month, the National Speleological Society held their annual convention close to Glenwood Caverns, in Glenwood Springs, and cave conservation was a major focus. From Glenwood Caverns, Shelley Schlender reports.
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The small town of Manassa sits south of Alamosa along Highway 142. Manassa is surrounded by farms and ranches, but in town is a museum dedicated to the Manassa Mauler. One-time heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey was born there, and KRCC’s Daniel Edwards made the trip to Dempsey’s birthplace to find out a little more about the man’s life and legacy.
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The Museum of Colorado Prisons
Canon City is well known for playing a role in the state's prison system. With one-third of the Department of Corrections public facilities, including the first, it makes sense then that the town is also home to the Museum of Colorado Prisons. KRCC's Andrea Chalfin visited the museum, and has this report.
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Up in the hills southeast of Westcliffe is a place called Mission: Wolf. Three dozen wolves and wolf-dog mixes live at this remote sanctuary, rescued from death, when their previous owners could no longer care for them. KRCC’s Shanna Lewis brings us this story about the wolf sanctuary that’s also become a refuge for humans.
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"The Dry:" African American Homesteaders in the Arkansas River Valley
Despite the fertility of the Arkansas River Valley, not every seed will grow. Such was the case with the African-American homesteaders who settled “The Dry,” which was abandoned due to irrigation issues. KRCC’s Kate Jonuska reports on a recent archeological dig that is attempting to bring The Dry’s history back into the light.
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