In Colorado, there was a man, who became a town, which became a tourist attraction and movie star of sorts. And now: “Buckskin Joe” is in private hands. “Buckskin Joe” was one of the early prospectors near Hoosier Pass in the 1860s.
Miners used his name for a tent city that sprang up, and “Buckskin Joe” the town grew: saloons, hotels, a courthouse. It was the seat of Park County for a while. Then the gold ran out. Cut to the 1950s: the town re-born as a theme park. Buildings moved 80 miles to the edge of Royal Gorge. Gunfights, stagecoach rides, tourists, and movie stars who made films like True Grit and Cat Ballou on location in “Buckskin Joe.” But as in many westerns, “Buckskin Joe” moved on again -- sold to a billionaire in 2010, packed up and reassembled on a private ranch near Gunnison.
About Colorado Postcards
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado.
