Browse all episodes of Colorado Experience

During the time of racial segregation, Lincoln Hills, the only all African-American resort west of the Mississippi River, provided a shelter from the storm.

Lincoln Hills

Born with two strikes against her, Dr. Justina Ford overcame barriers of race and gender to become the first African-American woman to practice medicine in Colorado and delivered over 7,000 babies.

Justina Ford, M.D.

The boom and bust of a homesteading community on Colorado's eastern plains.

Keota

While American troops were fighting abroad in World War II, over 7500 Japanese-Americans found themselves interned in the Granada War Relocation Center.

Amache

From exotic animals to opposing prohibition, nothing was too extraordinary for the entrepreneur dubbed a master "promoter" and his sophisticated wife. Delve into the affluent life of Colorado Springs' pioneering couple.

Spencer & Julie Penrose

Colorado's once industrial capital has long been the battleground for competing countries and interests.

Pueblo Border Wars

Examine the bloody history of Colorado coal miners' struggle for workers' rights.

Ludlow Massacre

Discover the rags-to-riches story of one of Colorado's most pioneering families, both in business and philanthropy.

The Boettchers

Colorado's top lawyers and historians unravel the unintended consequences of the state's constitution.

Colorado Constitution

Flying an AT-6 trainer plane in World War II was only the beginning of Grand Junction resident Annabelle Craft Moss's inspirational life.

Fly Girl

From the beginning of its settlement, Colorado has demonstrated a legacy of giving and philanthropy.

Colorado Philanthropy

During the height of the Fur Trade, Bent's Fort was a great western hub of commercial and cultural exchange.

Bent's Fort

Discover The Ute Nation, the original residents of Colorado and their lasting impact on the state.

The Original Coloradans

The first 150 years of the University of Denver are explored in this Colorado Experience.

University of Denver

Uncover the secrets of the United States Air Force Academy with a look at the significant events, landmarks and accomplishments throughout its first 60 years.

U.S. Air Force Academy

Explore the humble beginnings of the Colorado native who came out of the mining towns of the Rocky Mountains to become the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion: the Manassa Mauler, Jack Dempsey.

The Manassa Mauler

Revisit the dust filled skies of Southeast Colorado during one of the biggest environmental catastrophes in history.

The Dust Bowl

The Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant manufactured the plutonium trigger used in every nuclear weapon produced in the United States. Discover the local impact of a global conflict.

Colorado's Cold War

Take part in the largest gathering in Colorado history. Pope John Paul II's visit to Colorado in 1993 drew participants from all over the country - and the world.

Pope John Paul II

What happened to the Ancestral Puebloans of Mesa Verde and Goodman Point? Dive into this Southwest Colorado mystery.

Living West: Water

Enter through the North Portal of Cheyenne Mountain for a rare look at the top secret North American Aerospace Defense Command.

NORAD

Discover the legacy of Clyde Smaldone, the head of Denver's most notorious organized crime syndicate.

The Smaldones: Family of Crime

November 29, 1864 marks a dark time in Colorado's history. Commemorate the tragic attack on a peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho settlement.

Sand Creek Massacre

Explore the roots, the art, the injustice and the empowerment of Colorado's Chicano Movement.

Justicia y Libertad

Relive the War of the Currents. Discover the eccentric personalities racing to spark history in Telluride.

Jewish Pioneers

Relive the War of the Currents and discover the eccentric personalities racing to spark history in Telluride.

Hydro Power

Explore the booming 1866 town on the Eastern Plains and the colorful characters who lived there until tragedy struck in the 1880s.

Boggsville

From opium Joss Houses and Lydia E. Pinkham's Tonic to the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act, discover the early addictions of the west.

Indulgences of the West

As El Paso County's first sheriff, Rankin Scott Kelly helped pursue the Espinosa Brothers and found himself in numerous shootouts with notorious outlaws.

The Sheriff

From rodeos and parades to auctions and cowboy art, discover the globally known event that has occurred annually since 1906.

National Western Stock Show

From Mary Cawker to Millie Booth, meet the pioneering women whose hard work and vision brought the oldest house in Denver to life.

Last Stop 'til Denver

Meet the controversial Mayor who's City Beautiful vision built Denver's Civic Center Park and parkway system in the last 1890s.

Speer & the City

Examine the lasting impact of the cultural, artistic, and architectural contributions of Colorado's First Town.

The San Luis Valley

Discover the glamorous Hollywood-style movie theaters that served as social hubs from 1910 to the 1950s.

Cinema on the Plains

Marvel at the engineering achievement of Colorado's most famous and frequently used tunnel, the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel, and discover the tragedies it has seen since it opened in 1973.

Gateway to the High Country

Step inside the historic 1906 building, investigate the wild robbery of 1922, and discover the secrets behind the Denver Mint.

Colorado Coined

Discover the hardships, innovations and tenacity of the women caught up in Colorado's mining bug.

Ladies of the Mines

Delve into 1931 when a winter blizzard took the lives of five children who were stranded in a school bus.

Pleasant Hill Bus Tragedy

Meet the women whose lasting legacy on education lives today, even as her murder remains an unsolved mystery.

Miss Opportunity: The Life & Times of Emily Griffith

A look at the history and beauty of the Garden of the Gods, a treasured park and tourist attraction near Colorado Springs that boasts stunning red rocks and breathtaking views.

Garden of the Gods

When the skies opened on July 31, 1979, few anticipated this summer storm would result in the deadliest flash flood in Colorado's recorded history.

Big Thompson Flood

Amid Colorado's booming Silver Rush, Louis Depuy, a mysterious Frenchman, opened a first-class French restaurant and hotel in the mining town of Georgetown.

Hotel de Paris

During Colorado's Gold Rush days, newspaper headlines revealed passionate letters and secret elopements between same-sex couples. Nearly two centuries later, the struggle for equality continues within the state's landscape.

LGBT

Widely known for inspiring Steven King's 1977 novel, "The Shining," The Stanley Hotel's legacy goes beyond a history of paranormal activity.

The Stanley Hotel

On November 7, 1893, Colorado became the first state in the nation to grant women's suffrage by popular vote, a result of nearly 15 years of struggle and dedication.

Suffrage

In the early 1960s preservationist Dana Crawford launched her own plan to preserve Denver's historic buildings dating back to the 1860s. Over 50 years later her legacy can be seen throughout the city.

Dana Crawford

During the Colorado Silver Boom, Horace Tabor, known as "The Bonanza King of Leadville," landed in the Centennial state becoming one of the richest silver barons in history.

The Tabors

With a rich history of homesteading, farming and ranching, Colorado boasts nearly 500 hundred Centennial Farms, which remain in operation and are run by descendants of the original families.

Centennial Farms

Take a walk on the "Trinidad" imprinted brick-paved city streets and discover the beauty of this Southern Colorado town that is once again reinventing itself.

Trinidad

The courthouses across Colorado are much more than judicial landmarks, their placement represents power and land status.

Courthouses

Housed today in Steamboat Springs, Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp boasts alumni from Jose Limon, a pioneer of modern dance, to actors including Julie Harris and Dustin Hoffman.

Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp

Discover the "Bone Wars" of the late 1800s, major fossil finds across the state, and take a walk in 150 million year old dinosaur tracks.

Dinosaurs

From the Grand Dragon to known KKK appointees in the police, mayor's and governor's offices, Colorado once had the 2nd largest Klu Klux Klan Membership in the United States. Discover the sordid history of the KKK in Colorado and the impact they had on Catholics, Jews and African Americans in early 1920s, and the courageous individuals who fought against their establishment.

The famous Oscar Wilde quote “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life” holds little truth in Colorado. With magnificent landscapes located across the state, artists and pioneers could not help but replicate the sights before them. From the documentary art of early expeditions, to the celebratory art of the iconic bronco busting cowboy, discover the backstory of 250 years of American Art.

Western American Art

After earning her physician's license in 1897, Anderson struggled to find work in Denver where people "didn't believe in women doctors." She did not let this stop her love of medicine, and moved to Fraser where she cured lumberjacks, tended to miners' injuries and even cared for animals. Meet the tenacious treasure of Fraser, one of the first to practice medicine in the state of Colorado.

Doc Susie

America's explosive successes in peace and war were fueled by the radioactive wealth from the Colorado Plateau. The mineral carnotite was a "Pandora's rock" of scientific, medical, industrial and military power for 20th Century America. Even though the mining and refining of uranium ore in Western Colorado has mostly ceased its remaining trace elements still radiate from Uravan and Grand Junction.

Uranium Mania

According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, Colorado "has more than 1,000 ghost towns, over 600 of which have some sort of remains." Visit St. Elmo, Animas Forks, and Ashcroft, three of the best-preserved ghost towns in the state, and meet the spirits of Colorado's mining past.

Ghost Towns

Evidence of prehistoric mammals and early humans have been discovered across Colorado. Lamb Spring in Douglas County is home to the largest collection of Colombian mammoth bones in the state, offering archaeological insight into these prehistoric dwellers. The discoveries of Lindenmeier near Ft. Collins and Mountaineer in Gunnison reveal much about the people who lived here over 10,000 years ago.

Paleo Indians

Take a ride on the Galloping Goose, seven operational railcars that ran through the rugged San Juan mountains from 1931 to 1952. Carrying cargo, mail, and passengers, these "motors" connected Dolores, Telluride, and Ridgeway with many locations along the Rio Grand Southern Railroad. Discover their mechanical and weather-related adventures and why they attract visitors from around the world.

Galloping Goose

Join us on a wild ride as we discover some of Colorado's oldest amusement parks: Elitch Gardens, Lakeside Amusement Park, and the Kit Carson County Carousel. Discover why these parks are the most thrilling in Colorado and dive into their history and how they have become important treasures in the community.

Amusements

Explore Colorado's history of Aviation and meet the inspiring individuals who have shaped an industry.

Aviation

Located near Great Sand Dunes national park, the Trujillo Homestead and The Medano Zapta Ranch have a history dating back to Paleo Indians, with early Spanish explorers, New Mexican sheep herders and cattle ranchers settling the area in the 1800s. Today, these National Historic Landmarks provide a window to the past and a sanctuary for many wetland birds, rare plants and insects, cattle and bison.

Settling the Sand Dunes

Colorado and the west are where American mountain biking began. From the Denver Athletic Club's Pikes Peak summit on bicycles in 1891, to Buffalo Soldiers' riding to Yellowstone in 1897, mountain biking has long had a place in Colorado. With its modern debut in 1978, Crested Butte has led the state in creating single track and inspiring other towns to cater to this now Olympic sport.

Mountain Biking

The 1910's marked the early years of tourism to Colorado's front range and quickly, promoters presented the surrounding mountains as magnificent park attractions. Today, forty-six public parks make up the Denver Mountain Parks system. Meet those who had the foresight to preserve these epic spaces and understand why it is vital to preserve them for Coloradans and tourists alike.

Denver Mountain Parks

Discover how lodging has changed with transportation throughout Colorado. From stage coaches and railroads, to the autobus and eventually cars, tourists have increasingly flocked to Colorado's mountains. Venture to Grand Lake and Steamboat to discover the history behind some of the favorite places to stay while making a mountain escape.

Mountain Escapes

After discovering sugar beets on a trip to Europe, Charles Boettcher brought seeds to Colorado and found that the plains were the perfect environment for sugar beets. This new crop would prove to be one of the most important in Colorado's agricultural history; and would also attract a diverse array of workers from Mexican nationals to European immigrants and even WWII German Prisoners of War.

White Gold

Encouraged by civil rights movements of the 1960s, the Disability Rights Movement gained momentum leading to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Decades earlier in 1978, 19 individuals tossed aside their wheelchairs and blocked city buses deemed inaccessible for the physically disabled. Discover how this one act led to years of advocacy in Colorado and inspired the nation.

The Gang of 19 - ADA Movement

Quench your curiosity and learn how thirsty miners started a Liquid Gold Rush that began Colorado's journey to become the Beer State.

Cheers to Beers

Dreaming of a better life, many individuals were inspired to make the harsh trek westward at the turn of the 19th century without the assurance of home and family. The rise of boarding houses presented a solution to this insecurity while challenging social and cultural conventions of gender, race, and class; and at one point housed one third of Americans. Discover how the adaptable nature of boarding houses like the Astor House, Hotel Jerome, and the Peck House allowed for their survival despite mining busts and the end of railroads.

Room & Board

Paddle through the buoyant history of FIBArk, the United States’ oldest and longest whitewater festival, and discover the adventurous evolution of whitewater sports and how they fortified a small town in central Colorado. Salida, Colorado is home to the birth of American kayaking and helped develop many whitewater sports including kayak slalom, river SUP (Stand Up Paddle Boarding) and more.

Whitewater

Fannie Mae Duncan brought the motto “Everybody Welcome” to true meaning at her Colorado Springs Cotton Club from 1948 to 1975, despite the volatile Civil Rights Movement of the day. The granddaughter of slaves and the daughter of tenant farmers, Fannie Mae stood for harmony and maintained the first racially integrated club in the city.

Fannie Mae Duncan

Ride into the "bloody grass" battlefields of the Old West's longest feud over grazing and water rights and witness the gunfights, court cases, and massacres that gave rise to the classic American contest of cowboy versus sheepman.

Sheep & Cattle Wars

Wander through the extravagant halls of the Redstone Castle and meet the creator who forged an empire atop the remote and rugged Rocky Mountains.

The Redstone Castle

Initially only a single building in the middle of a 30-acre plot of land near Cañon City, Colorado’s first prison was erected in 1868 before statehood. Colorado’s history of imprisonment has taken a turbulent journey through rebellions, riots, and escapes. The story of Old Max and its architectural journey tells the story of changing attitudes towards crime, justice and punishment.

Imprisonment

Discover the rare and fragile "WIckiup" shelters that reveal the ways the Ute people lived and traveled across Colorado from prehistory to the present day.

The Wickiup Investigation

Check in to Denver's longest operating hotel and discover why everyone, from Teddy Roosevelt to The Beetles, has been drawn to this "Oasis of Elegance."

The Brown Palace Hotel

It’s dog and handler versus sheep at The Meeker Classic Sheepdog Trials. What began as a strategy to bring commerce and people to the small town of Meeker in 1987 has become one of the world’s most renowned sheepdog competitions. Set in the beautiful White River Valley of Northwestern Colorado, witness the story of a small Western town becoming an international destination.

The Meeker Classic Sheepdog Trials

In the late 1850s, prospects of gold lured miners to the intersection of the Platte River & Cherry Creek. It was here that Auraria, later to become “West Denver,” was born. Explore the origins of Denver through its oldest neighborhood and see how this culturally-rich community fought against urban renewal and is now home to several historic buildings and a thriving campus of opportunity.

Auraria

The son of a tubercular mother and an alcoholic father, Ben Nighthorse Campbell persevered to become one of America’s most interesting leaders. From high school dropout to Olympic athlete… from artist to the United States Senator from Colorado… Ben has amassed a collection of identities, but none so important as the one he was ceremonially given by his father’s Northern Cheyenne tribe: Nighthorse.

Ben Nighthorse Campbell

Unearth the resilient story of the Denver Botanic Gardens, a once struggling attraction that persevered through grassroots efforts to become an architectural, educational, and scientific pioneering institution.

Denver Botanic Gardens

Magic Mountain has been renowned for its abundance of historic treasures ever since miners first looted it in the late 19th century. For decades now, scientists have attempted to uncover the ancient stories of Colorado at this fascinating site that reveals human history in layers of time. Researchers have now invited their neighbors to dig into this place, too. From looting to citizen science.

Magic Mountain

In so many ways, the story of Colorado is the story of mining. And Creede stands as one of the last mining towns of its kind. So many mines and their legacies were abandoned over the years - and nearly lost forever. But a handful of heroes have staked a claim on history by preserving these sites. From mining boom towns to ghost towns - it's all here.

Creede: The Last Boom Town

Enter the fascinating history of Colorado Springs' founding estate. How did a refined English Tudor-style castle come to exist in the vast, unsettled West? Created by railroad tycoon and Civil War General William Jackson Palmer, Glen Eyrie Castle is adjacent to Garden of the Gods and the iconic views of Pikes Peak. Brand new archaeological findings reveal intriguing details of castle life.

Glen Eyrie Castle

Discover one of the oldest downhill ski "resorts" in Colorado, celebrating 80 years in the 2019-2020 winter season. Monarch has been giving families, thrill seekers and mountain lovers a place to play since 1939. See this small resort's big part in making Colorado a global destination for downhill skiers and a multi billion-dollar industry.

Monarch Mountain

As the New York Stock Exchange grew, powerbrokers turned westward to develop the next financial empire. But to attract investors, Denver had to become more than a rag-tag western town. Despite enduring floods, fires, war and financial disaster, Denverites found a way to survive and compete. The resurgent new city built a financial district that propelled it to become the "Wall Street of the West."

Wall Street of the West

Humans have had a relationship with forests for eons. But today, Colorado's forests are changing, potentially altering this intrinsic connection. Follow scientists and historians as they work to understand this transformation. Decipher tree rings, analyze aerial imagery, and learn of Colorado's long history to unroot the causes and consequences of Colorado's changing forests.

Forests of Change

Colorado's pioneering spirit is alive and well at the Hutchinson Homestead and Ranch, just outside of Salida. Cattle ranching since before statehood, the seventh generation Hutchinson family still ranches on the same land. Their preserved 1873 two-story homestead and 9 outbuildings are a testament to both the family's fortitude and high country ranching.

Hutchinson Homestead

Architect Temple Hoyne Buell designed over 300 buildings in Colorado alone. Today, his work can be seen in the Paramount Theatre, the Mullen Building, and original parts of the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. He would go on to establish a non-profit, the Buell Foundation, to give back to the state. Through his buildings and philanthropic work, this visionary man's legacy continues today.

Temple Hoyne Buell

Ever since Western settlers dreamed of deserts in bloom, men have chased the mirage of more water than these arid lands can provide. "Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting" describes the urgent struggle every generation of Coloradans faces to control this fleeting resource-creating hydrodynamic history through structures that can propel water to run uphill toward money, and power.

Western Water, and Power

Descend into the magical Fairy Caves - dubbed "The 8th Wonder of the World." Hidden inside Glenwood Spring's Iron Mountain, this living cave network inspires awe. But the caverns were nearly lost to time and were closed for over 80 years - until an engineer who happened to be a caver had a vision of how to return the magic to this fantastical place.

The Fairy Caves

A printing press in the Old West was considered to be a "civilizer." So when the newspaper in the tiny town of Mancos imported a high-end printer from back East in 1911, it was the beginning of a real community. 100 years after the Cranston Press first hit Mancos, a wild twist of fate led to its re-discovery and restoration. Now this incredibly rare press is back - creating a new community.

Press of the West

Starting as a small horse exhibition in 1869, the Colorado State Fair has become the largest summer event in Colorado. How did the small fort town of Pueblo become the fun capital of Colorado summers? From livestock to peach pie contests. From big-name entertainment to little kids' 4H. Go behind the scenes to see how the Fair really runs. It's more fun than you can poke a corn dog at.

Colorado State Fair

The Strater Hotel has hosted Durango visitors for over a century. With its eye-catching brickwork and white sandstone decorating the exterior and its collection of American Victorian-era furniture, guests today can experience its long history. Discover the many stories the extravagant halls of this southwestern hotel tell.

The Strater: The Hotel That Built Durango

Built high in the Rockies, Camp Hale was the training grounds for the famed 10th Mountain Division in WWII. Their brave service is honored at what remains from Camp Hale. The site remains significant not only for preservation but for conservation and recreation. As veterans visit this hallowed site, we are reminded of the many legacies created by the men who trained at Camp Hale.

Camp Hale

Charles Deaton, a Colorado true renaissance man, blended sculpture, architecture and engineering into his buildings. Deaton’s structures, including The Sculptured House and The Key Savings Building, have become Colorado icons. Rectangular buildings were the norm, but Deaton was obsessed with curves. He was famously quoted as saying: “People aren’t angular, why should they live in rectangles?”

Charles Deaton: Designs From a New Dimension

From a wealthy, getaway tourist town, to a gold rush epicenter; to a tuberculosis respite, to the home of five military installations — the built landscape of Colorado Springs reflects its history of major industries and economic drivers. As the city celebrates 150 years, we revisit preserved, revitalized — and destroyed — iconic buildings. And ask: How can we create the future and honor the past?

Lost & Preserved in Colorado Springs

Born into slavery, Barney Ford escaped at 26 and endured racism, fires, and mining claim jumping to become one of only 46 African Americans in the Colorado Territory. Undeterred, he became one of the richest men in the state as a miner, barber, restaurateur, and hotel owner—a true entrepreneur—all while fighting endlessly for Black rights.

Mr. Barney Ford

Like so many other areas across Colorado, Park County experienced intense mining booms—and sudden busts, leaving towns to deteriorate. But through bold innovation, the county’s history would be preserved—by cleverly transplanting 19th century buildings. The South Park City Museum stands as a tangible microcosm of Colorado’s past while modeling a unique approach to preservation.

South Park City

Starting as a small collection of caged animals in 1896, the Denver Zoo has transformed into a conservation and education-driven institution that is recognized worldwide. Anchored by the transformative 1918 Bear Mountain exhibit, the zoo has developed in design and exhibitry for over a century. Witness a century of the zoo’s evolution in both science and design to become the institution we know today.

The Denver Zoo

Built in 1940 by Japanese Americans, this historic wooden structure served as a place of worship until 2005. Vacant for a decade, preservation efforts, spearheaded by a local architect, brought together business owners, municipalities, architects, developers and elected officials, transforming the Buddhist temple into a 20-tap brewery that is now a beacon for Brighton’s Main Street.

Brighton Buddhist Temple

Preserving and celebrating the people, events and places that have shaped Colorado.

All Episodes of Colorado Experience

Browse all episodes of Colorado Experience

Season 1

Lincoln Hills

Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 2/21/2013

Justina Ford, M.D.

Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 2/28/2013

Keota

Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 3/21/2013

Amache

Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 3/28/2013

Spencer & Julie Penrose

Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 4/4/2013

Pueblo Border Wars

Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 4/13/2013

Ludlow Massacre

Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 4/18/2013

The Boettchers

Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 5/2/2013

Colorado Constitution

Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 5/9/2013

Fly Girl

Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 5/16/2013

Colorado Philanthropy

Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 5/23/2013

Bent's Fort

Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 5/30/2013

The Original Coloradans

Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 6/23/2013