Colorado's houses of worship reflect the same trademark resourcefulness and fortitude that the pioneers and history makers demonstrated throughout the state's history. Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, established in 1854, remains the state's oldest church. Formed by a group of African American settlers, including former slaves, Zion Baptist became Colorado's first black congregation on November 15, 1865. On May 23, 1868, famed frontiersman Christopher "Kit" Carson died in the historic chapel at Fort Lyon. And thanks to con artist Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith, who raised $600, Creede erected its first church in 1892. From notable parishioners to murders in two separate Denver churches, historian Linda Wommack surveys the heritage and wealth of holy houses in the Mile High State.

In addition to majestic mountains and colorful terrain, Colorado's landscapes are scattered with rural and small-town churches. This book is filled with little-known historical anecdotes about the structures, the people, and places associated with them, and the colorful, often heroic, itinerant preachers who brought religion to the frontier. Color and black and white photographs reveal a surprising multi-ethnic character of early Colorado. Faith in High Places fills an otherwise undocumented niche in Colorado History.

Since 1991, the Colorado Historical Society has supported the restoration of the state's most significant sites through the State Historical Fund. Thanks to the SHF, more than 600 building, sites, and districts all over the state have been restored and preserved for gernerations to come. Complete with the stories behind the sites and their restoration, this comprehensive guidebook takes you to Colorado's most historic locations and chronicles the efforts to save them.

For forty years, A Colorado History has provided a comprehensive and accessible panoramic history of the Centennial State. From the arrival of the Paleo-Indians to contemporary times, this enlarged edition leads readers on an extraordinary exploration of a remarkable place.

Speaking Ill of the Dead: Jerks in Colorado History features 17 short biographies of notorious bad guys, perpetrators of mischief, visionary if misunderstood thinkers, and other colorful antiheroes from the history of the Centennial State.

For fifty years, A Colorado History has provided a comprehensive and accessible panoramic history of the Centennial State. From the arrival of the Paleo-Indians to contemporary times, this enlarged edition leads readers on an extraordinary exploration of a remarkable place. "A Colorado History has been, since its first appearance in 1965, widely recognized as an exemplary work of its kind." --The Colorado Magazine Experience Colorado with this new, enlarged edition of A Colorado History. For fifty years, the authors of this preeminent resource have led readers on an extraordinary exploration of how the state has changed—and how it has stayed the same. From the arrival of Paleo-Indians in the Mesa Verde region to the fast pace of the twenty-first century, A Colorado History covers the political, economic, cultural, and environmental issues, along with the fascinating events and characters, that have shaped this dynamic state. In print for fifty years, this distinctive examination of the Centennial State is a must-read for history buffs, students, researchers—or anyone—interested in the remarkable place called Colorado.

Construction of a school building reflected the importance of universal education and a community's desire to establish permanence in the ever-expanding Western frontier. Since 1859 when Colorado's first one-room schoolhouse was established in Denver City, over six hundred school buildings have been built across the Centennial State. These schools were often the social centers of the community. Civic town meetings were held in them, as well as other political events. Some of these schoolhouses were still operating in rural communities through the 1950s. Today, these schools are the touchstones to Colorado’s pioneering past. Colorado’s Historic Schools is part-regional history, and part-travel guide featuring over 140 of the most significant schools across the state, all recognized as historic landmarks. Along with interesting school stories and building descriptions, there are historic photos and stories of legendary teachers, tragedies, and even murder over the 150-year history of Colorado’s schools.