In 1953, the Koppers Company of Pittsburgh donated a Porter Engine to the Salida Museum following the closure of its railroad tie-treating, creosote plant in Smeltertown near Salida. Built in 1926, the engine moved trams loaded with railroad ties to and from the treating shed. It is a two-foot gauge engine, with saddle tank and …
Great turn out for the Open House! Over 150 people stopped by to say hello, hear Melanie’s talk and check out the new exhibits. If you didn’t get a chance to attend, we’re now open daily from 11-5:00, so stop by!
Our annual Open House will be Saturday, May 12 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. At 1:00, Melanie Roth, president of Historic St. Elmo & Chalk Creek Canyon, will be our featured speaker, talking about the St. Elmo mining district and some of the preservation work they have been doing. St. Elmo and the mines …
We are sad to report that the Museum has lost another long-time volunteer. Judy Micklich passed away on March 16. Judy started volunteering at the Museum in the late 1960s, working for our founder, Harriet Alexander and served as president from 1975 – 2014. Through Judy’s tireless dedication to the Museum and preservation of area …
It is with great sadness that we note the passing of former board member and fellow volunteer, John Skinner. What a wonderful man, who always had a story, a poem, or a joke to tell! He loved talking with visitors and most enjoyed talking about Sheriff Baxter Stingley. He was always willing to help with …
We get many visitors from all over the world, but few are as fun as when the local second grade classes from Longfellow Elementary visit on Halloween. We tell a few stories about local history, and continue to be amazed at how sharp these kids are, through their questions and answers. Here are a few …
September 11 was a big morning for the Museum, with the move of the Porter Engine from the west side to the front of our building. We’re tickled to have it out front to showcase such a great piece of Salida History. This little guy (or “goat” as it was called) was used at the …
Author and historian, Robert Autobee provided an entertaining and informative talk about the smokestack’s history. We have uploaded Robert’s talk (click the link) if you want to check some facts or were unable to attend. And we have a video available on Facebook. We’d like to thank the Chaffee County Heritage Area Advisory Board for …
You’re invited! On August 26, the Salida Museum will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the smelter smokestack. It remains one of the most visible symbols of Salida’s colorful history. Join us for talks under the big tent about the 365-foot smokestack’s history. Author and historian Robert Autobee will deliver the keynote address: “Standing for …
Ever wondered what it looked like from the top of the Salida smokestack? Check out the new smokestack video, courtesy of the Salida High School UAS/Drone class students of 2016/2017. It’s a birds eye view of the smokestack, including a look down the inside from the top. We asked the class to be a part of …