True tales from the Centennial State’s past—from a prehistoric buffalo hunt to the artistic inspiration behind the Red Ryder BB rifle

Colorado is known for its towering peaks, Native American culture, and rich mining history, but few may be aware of the $200 million diamond mine hoax, the British woman who summited Long’s Peak in 1973, or why Buffalo Bill Cody wasn’t buried in Cody, Wyoming. It Happened in Colorado goes behind the scenes to tell these stories, in short episodes that reveal the intriguing people and events that have shaped the Centennial State.

• Recount the harrowing week-long battle during which only twenty-four surviving civilians held off nearly 700 Native American warriors
• Read about Leadville’s enormous ice palace—complete with indoor skating rink—constructed as a publicity stunt in 1895
• Learn how the individual who carried out the most successful espionage operation in American history helped delay settlement of the West
• Relive the terrifying day one angry citizen nearly destroyed his small town with a jerry-rigged tank

Colorado has historical high points as grand as its magnificent mountains. In this book, author James A. Crutchfield scales thirty-eight of these historical summits.