Voices of the Past: Lessons from the Rails (Part 1)

Jeff Johnson's connection to Durango began with a single train ride in 1973, when a family vacation turned into a lifelong calling. That trip aboard the narrow gauge to Silverton set him on a path of decades-long devotion to Colorado railroad history, from the earliest push of the Denver and Rio Grande down through Walsenburg, Alamosa, and Chama into Southwest Colorado, to the mining boom in Silverton that the rails were built to chase. In this episode, Jeff traces the routes, the resources, and above all the people — the laborers, the families, and the women who left comfort behind to build new lives in a rugged frontier. It's a conversation about how the past never really feels that far away, and why understanding the people who came before us matters for where we're headed.

The Power of Place Magazine is a special initiative of the Colorado 150 Southwest organizing committee, featuring 20 articles by professional historians and local writers exploring Southwest Colorado's rich and complex heritage.

By Jeff Johnson

This story is sponsored by Alpine Bank, Sky Ute Casino and Strater Hotel.

Watch the full Voices of the Past: Southwest Colorado series on our YouTube.