John and I drove to Salida Saturday night. We visited with one of the present-day owners of the land that Ernest Christison owned in 1883. Glen's grandparents had lived on adjoining land in the early 1900's. His grandfather was George Everett, who wrote two books about the history of the area: Under The Angel of Shavano with Dr. Wendall Hutchinson and Cattle Cavalcade in Central Colorado from 1860-1966. We drove up to the land on Sunday morning. John and I weren't sure if we could locate it positively without Glen, but we did--using the GPS and the map. The aspen were at their peak. The land is rugged, desolate and beautiful. How it sustained many cattle is a mystery to me. I guess that is why there was open range at the time. The elevation is almost 9,000 feet.
Check back for more pictures and details about our trip!
2 comments:
Beautiful area, Gayle. Isn't it fun to see where your ancestor lived? A few years ago I went to Montana and found the first house and ranch my grandparents had lived when they got married. The house was still standing, although it was being used as a shelter for cattle. But just seeing it gave me a feeling of reverence, almost.
Heidi
Great photos. Reminds me how much I miss Salida, especially this time of year when the air is crisp and the mountainsides are a patchwork quilt in green and gold.
Cynthia Becker
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