Colorado Day is August 1, observing the day President Ulysses S. Grant signed a proclamation admitting Colorado as the 38th state in the union in 1876.
When Salida was incorporated on October 4, 1880, the state was just four years old, and like the rest of the state, it was part of the “Wild West” we see in the old black-and-white movies of the 1940s and ’50s. Interestingly enough, a Coloradan, Marquerite Roberts, wrote several of those westerns, one being “True Grit” which won an Oscar for John Wayne.
While Colorado Day is officially Aug. 1, Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill in 1968, and it was moved to the first Monday in August. So, take your pick, or celebrate both! However, businesses are not closed on either day.
There is also a National Colorado Day on April 12, which was established in 2017 celebrating Colorado as the 38th state to join the union. On the National Day calendar, each state is honored in order of admission to the union and is recognized for its heritage, achievements and spirit. Our state’s pride is the Rocky Mountains, and in Salida we proudly boast of being the “Heart of the Rockies.”
Next to our mountains Colorado, takes pride in its historic sites like Mesa Verde, where an ancient city once thrived.
Once Colorado became a territory, Lt. Zebulon Pike explored the area, and Pikes Peak, overlooking Colorado Springs, is named for him. Salida was home to Zebulon “Monty” Montgomery Pike Jr., a fifth generation relative of the famous explorer. Monty Pike passed away Oct. 20, 2019, at the age of 97. He was a World War II U.S. Army veteran and served under General George Patton.
To celebrate Colorado Day, many Colorado museums offer free admission on Aug. 1. Among them are the Salida Museum at 406½ U.S. Highway 50 (behind the Chamber of Commerce) and the Buena Vista Heritage Museum at 506 E. Main St.
