Salida - Chaffee Co., CO 81201

Points of Interest: Tenderfoot Mountain, Monarch Aerial Tramway, Monarch Ski Area

Annual Events: Poncha Livestock Show, Fibark Boat Races in June; Poncha Springs Fun Days, Continental Divide Hillclimb in July; Chaffee County Fair in Aug.; Chamber of Commerce Trade Show in Sept. Accomodations: 650 rooms

Visitors Information Chamber of Commerce 406 W. Rainbow Blvd. 539-2068
Hospitals Heart of Rockies Reg. Med Ctr . 448 E. 1st St 539-6661
Bus Stations TNM & O Carriers (Greyhound Carrier) 731 Blake St. 539-7474
Airport Harriett Alexander Airport 9255 CR 140 539-3720
Colleges Colorado Mtn. College 210 N. F St. 539-3905
Post Office 310 D St. 539-2548
Library Salida Regional Library 405 E St 539-4826
Museum Salida Museum 404 W. Rainbow Blvd 539-4555
Public Golf Courses Salida Golf Club 404 Grant St 539-6373
Ski Areas Monarch Ski Area #1 Powder Pl 539-2581 Police Department 125 E. 3re St. 539-6880> Fire Department 539-2212
Newspapers The Mountain Mail 125 E. 2nd St. 539-6691

Salida, Spanish for "gateway", was originally called South Arkansas and was renamed at the suggestion of Gov. Alexander C. Hunt. In the fall of 1878 engineers for the A, T & Santa Fe, anticipating the construction of the railroad through the Great Canyon of the Arkansas, laid out a town about one mile south of Salida, naming it Cleora. The town flourished and by 1880 had a population of 600. In April of 1880 engineers for the Denver & Rio Grande surveyed the sight of Salida in hopes that many court battles would be settled in their favor. When the residents of Cleora learned that their town would not become the railhead, they moved merchandise and buildings to the new site.