Thursday, September 24, 2009

History Talk in Rocky Mountain National Park


Despite sleet, rain and snow on my way to the history talk, I was glad I persevered. The talk was held indoors (it's usually outdoors), and I even got to sit in a very comfortable rocking chair!


The talk covered the settlers and visitors of European descent - who arrived in this part of the Rockies in the 1850s. They were often involved in trade and tended to build cabins and stay for only a few years.

I did ask about whether there were abandoned cellar holes in Colorado, like there are in New Hampshire.

The answer was no - in part because there haven't been permanent dwellings for as long in Colorado as in NH. Also, wood decays much faster in NH - so a cabin in the woods would rot, leaving the cellar below. In CO, old, abandoned cabins are still standing.

It was also less common to build a cellar in Colorado. I'm guessing from my short time there, that a cellar wasn't as necessary for keeping things cold. (We did see snow in the Rockies in September - while in New England snow wouldn't be widespread until December.)


By the time the talk ended, the weather was looking better - so I can show you a glimpse of the view during the talk.


Moraine Park, the name of this meadow, was formed by glaciers. This area is popular with elk, especially during the evening and early morning hours.

2 comments:

Delighted Hands said...

I could enjoy a good crisp walk for a day...the fireplace and rocking chair sound like a great enticement!

Jennifer said...

Beautiful!