Colorado City: The cowboy capital of the world

The US film industry has been obsessed with the Wild West and actors in cowboy boots and hats. All these movies have made people curious of what is going on in the city of guns and roses.
Colorado City is an important cowboy city that attracts both local and international tourists who want to learn more about the wild west culture. The city is a town in Mohave County, Arizona, United States, and is located in a region known as the Arizona Strip.
Old Colorado City is the original capital of the Colorado Territory. Founded back in 1859, this historic area was once a hotbed of activity, overflowing farmers, miners, ranchers and other settlers seeking a piece of their own manifest destiny. Old Colorado City Historic District maintains its 19th-century Wild West feel with a few modifications: the area’s buildings now house locally owned art galleries, quaint shops and mom and pop restaurants.
Travelers who visit Old Colorado City frequently praise the district’s relaxed atmosphere and friendly business owners, but many visitors say you don’t need to spend much more than a few hours here. Some say the city is quite touristy, so one should avoid it in the summer time.
To learn more about the city and the whole state, you must pass by the Heart of West Texas Museum. The mission of the Heart of West Texas Museum is to collect, preserve and interpret for the public benefit, education and enjoyment, the historical heritage of Mitchell County and West Texas in general. The museum’s highlights are Lone Wolf Creek Prehistoric Bison antiques, Cowboy Displays and Branding Wall, Farm and Ranch Heritage exhibition, War exhibits featuring a WWII Norden Bombsite exhibition, Kiowa Chief Lone Wolf Exhibition, Missouri and Pacific 13560 Caboose display, the Lake Champion Mammoth fossils and the historically restored and period furnished Heritage House.
Lake Colorado City State Park is a 500-acre lakeside park with camping and cabins, plus kayak rentals, fishing, swimming and nature trails. Lake Colorado City was built in 1949 on Morgan Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River, to provide cooling water for the Morgan Creek Power Plant, a water supply for Colorado City and for recreation. The power plant is the largest modern steam electric station in West Texas, and because the water stays warmer than normal, it creates ideal conditions for fish and waterfowl. People rent tents and picnics along the lake to enjoy a breezy view. People go fishing, barbecuing and other activities.
Ghost Town Wild West Museum is one of the top places to visit in Colorado City. It is a true preservation of Colorado’s western past, it is a fun and historic look back at the old west town that used to dot this region during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The museum was selected by Mobile Travel Guide and Family Circle Magazine as one of the 55 special attractions of America. It is filled with thousands of fascinating artifacts. Ghost Town Museum delights young and old with lots of hands-on activities, including old time arcades, panning for real gold (summer months), and much, much more. The artistic architecturally beautiful buildings, the unique photographic illusions and amazing hand-carved characters are very interesting.
Manitou Springs is in this small town in the Rocky Mountain foothills, about 6 miles northwest of central Colorado Springs. Manitou Springs (now a National Historic District) remains a charming hippie-era haven filled with art galleries, funky boutiques and outdoor cafes. You will love wandering around this town and stretching your legs along the nearby hiking trails. It is recommended that you stop by the Manitou Spring Penny Arcade, also known as Arcade Amusements, which is located in the heart of this town; this arcade has roughly 250 old fashioned gaming machines, which are all still priced by the penny as they were originally.
Children and animal lovers would come together and say Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a must if you’re visiting Colorado Springs, especially when visiting with kids. It is located in the south of the city at the foot of Cheyenne Mountain.
You will love feeding the elephants, hold a Burmese python and even watching the animals after hours on a moonlight safari.
The zoo houses a variety of animals; the giraffes are by far a visitor favorite. Hand-feeding the giraffes is definitely a not-to-miss activity. It is a perfect opportunity to teach your children more about animal encounter, animal care and the circle of life.
Celebrating their cowboy culture, Colorado City offers a number of events to serve the purpose. Starting with Farm to Table Dinner, where you can eat fresh off the farm in a big festive dinner with the city’s residents where they all gather together to eat, dance and celebrate the bounty of the country. This event takes place on August, in a large public picnic area.
An interesting colorful event is the Ballet on Horseback where you can enjoy professional ballet dancers wearing theme costumes dancing and swirling while riding on the back of beautiful horses. The event is held annually at the Boulder County Fairgrounds.
People love the blend between Mexico and Colorado in the Mexican Rodeo event that offers bull rides, bronco riders, dancing horses in open air. The event is filled with cultural pageantry. The Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza features Mexican style bull riding, bareback riding, trick roping and Mariachis.
You cannot miss the Colorado Fair Parade, it starts annually in the month of July on B Street and Union Avenue, down Union Avenue to 1st Street, north up Main Street to 8th where it concludes. The Colorado State Fair Parade is one of the oldest parades in Colorado and is coordinated by the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce and its State Fair Parade Committee.
The Kids Day Parade is a fun competition for children 12 years and younger. Children compete for trophies and are judged on costumes, creativity and just plain cuteness. The parade begins at the intersection of Quincy and Abriendo Avenues and continues through the Mesa Junction. Prior to the parade, there is pancake breakfast at the Pueblo Fire Museum on Abriendo Avenue.
You cannot visit Colorado City without checking out the bull riding and bullfighting event. In the American tradition the rider must stay atop the bucking bull for eight full seconds to count as a qualified ride. The rider tightly fastens one hand to the bull with a long braided rope. It is a risky sport and has been called “the most dangerous eight seconds in sports.” The event takes place in the bullring built at the racetrack in Gillett.
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