Documenting history of the Poudre River Corridor
How do you create a national heritage area? Through an act of Congress. But, who decides that a natural, cultural and/or historical landscape is worthy of Congressional attention? We imagine there are some colorful characters and stories behind the formation of our nation’s national parks and heritage areas. What kind of courage, controversy, commitment, and circumstances come into play?
Our Water Legacy program teases out the stories of people and events that shaped the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area (CALA). Since the time of our early ancestors, the Poudre River has been the lifeblood of northern Colorado for both wildlife and humans. Events during the days of early settlement as well as the modern demands on the Poudre River have been complex. It’s because of this that the Poudre River contributed significantly to the development of water law and the evolution of highly complex water delivery systems.
