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South Fork in Rio Grande County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
 

A Passport Through Time

 
 
A Passport Through Time Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 9, 2020
1. A Passport Through Time Marker
Inscription. 1. Some 10,500 years ago, the San Juan Mountains were well-known to post-ice age hunters. The Folsom culture, as they are now called, hunted bison and gathered plants in high mountain valleys.

2. More recently, Ute Indians lived in this area and referred to the Rocky Mountains as the "Shining Mountains." The Utes are the oldest continuous residents of Colorado.

3. Colorado became a land of opportunity as Spanish explorers, mountain men, fur traders, and American surveyors followed well-worn Ute hunting and trade routes.

4. This ancient trail was widened into a toll road to accommodate the mining booms in the Lake City and Creede. With the road came ranchers, tourists, and settlers. By the early 1900s, automobiles made their way into this high mountain valley.

5. Beginning in the 1870s, the lure of gold and silver brought prospectors, miners, traders, loggers, and speculators to tap the region's wealth. The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad extended its track from Wagon Wheel Gap to Creede in 1892 to haul ore and freight. Lumber, freight, and tourists kept the railroad in business.

6. Today the Silver Thread Scenic Byway is the focal point for year-round community recreation.

As you travel on the Silver Thread Scenic Byway, between South Fork and Lake City, you will follow in the footsteps
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of thousands of people who traveled on this remarkable route. Today, tourism and recreation form the foundation for the local economies. the Silver Thread provides a variety of historical and recreational activities for the public to cherish and enjoy.


Caption
Top right: Enjoying a picnic on the Silver Thread Scenic Byway in 1928. Photo courtesy of Neil Wyley, Creede, Colorado
 
Erected by Silver Thread Scenic and Historic Byway.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & CommerceNative AmericansRoads & Vehicles.
 
Location. 37° 40.151′ N, 106° 38.493′ W. Marker is in South Fork, Colorado, in Rio Grande County. Marker can be reached from Silver Thread Lane. Marker is located on grounds of the South Fork Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 28 Silver Thread Lane, South Fork CO 81154, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 6 other markers are within 16 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Living on the Byway (here, next to this marker); Watchable Wildlife (a few steps from this marker); Rio Grande — A River of Life (a few steps from this marker); Continental Divide Trail (approx.
A Passport Through Time Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 9, 2020
2. A Passport Through Time Marker
Marker is on the left.
15.6 miles away); The Great Divide (approx. 15.6 miles away); History of a Road (approx. 15.6 miles away).
 
A Passport Through Time Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 15, 2020
3. A Passport Through Time Marker
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on November 21, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 21, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 134 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on July 21, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.   3. submitted on November 21, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 28, 2024