My mother is from Canon City; my grandparents on my mother's side lived there. My grandfather worked as a prison guard at the prison there. Canon City is the Walla Walla of Colorado.
Having first laid eyes on the Royal Gorge Bridge in 1968 at the age of 15, I was disappointed in 2016 when I next revisited it to see that it had turned into a very disappointing tourist attraction (dare I say trap?). If one can overlook the tourist glitter (thinking here of a bungee sling), the canyon itself and the history of the area are appealing. Did spend a pleasant afternoon in town and visiting the park along the Ark before continuing my trip home to the southeast.
Decent work on this one. You hit on a lot of the interesting and fun history of Canon. However, there is much much more! The territorial prison and elks lodge that still exist today were the center points for a hollywood movie made IN Canon City ABOUT Canon City CALLED Canon City. It was about a famous prison break that happened here way back when. Decent little flick. Still on netflix I think. The fed pen south of Florence (near Canon) Once held such infamous characters as John Gotti, Ted Kazinski(unabomber), Timothy Mcvey(oklahoma bomber) and many more wonderful blights of society. All of Canon City sits in a horseshoe shaped bowl from a long long ago extinct lake. This means that all of Canon is sitting on a bed of forever moving and shifting Clay that causes all the infrastructures to crack, shift, sink, rise etc.etc.. From pipes under ground like gas and water and sewage pipes, to housing foundations (no basements here folks!), and all the street. Inncodently one public pool that is now no more. Wanna move here now...? On the south side of town sits the old Cotter mine. There is where uranium and yellow cake were either processed or stored that was the stuff the used in the two bombs that were dropped on Japan. Some time back, there was a big time rain fall and flooding that started washing ALL the content of that place down through town and into the Arkansas River. There a so many mine tunnels under more than half the town that some day.... well. lol I bet you get the picture... Some time shortly after the discovery of all the dinosaur skeletons, bones, and fossils that were mentioned in this video just north of Canon off of Red Canyon Road. There erupted a "Bone War" between two rival factions of would be archeologists. They were so hell bent on the other not getting the notoriety that the other thought they deserved that they sent raids into each others camps to blow up the bones and skeletons etc., with dynamite. Sad day for science there folks. On Skyline drive there are two fun things to look at. The archway entrance off hwy50 is comprised of a stone from every state. On the climb up, look up to your left and you will see dinosaur footprints (triceratops I think). They were discovered by a grade school student in recent times only after decades and decades of people had walked past them not knowing. The St Cloud Hotel (recently renovated and brought back to life), sat vacant, dilapidated, and rotting for years and decades. It was originally brought down to Canon brick by Brick from either westcliffe or silvercliffe( I can not remember which). As you head west on hwy50 out of town. Just before the big turn on the west side of the prison, long ago before hwy50 existed. There used to be a natural spring which the local swore by. The water was pure crystal clear mineral spring water. The small towns folks had built pavilions and a park around it. My wife's grandmother painted a picture of it just before they tore it down for the new highway. That painting is hanging in my living room to this day. A reminder of what we lose for every "progression" forward. Rumors are abound thought that they capped and piped the spring and directed it under the highway to the south somewhere. No one can seem to located it though. The old walls of the pavilions can still be seen on what is now the prisons property. They sit there. A symbol of simpler more healthy times. Presidents would ride through here on there election campaign tours on trains. My wife's grandfather got to see Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman speak from the luxury caboose of a train that stopped in Canon at that old train station (now a bank) at 9th street and hwy50. When you first enter the actual canyon between Canon and Salida from the Canon side, if you look across to the other side of the river just after the bridge that crosses over the river for Martin Marrietta mining operation. you will see the railroad tracks sitting on some sort of stacked concrete block looking things. Well. Those are concrete walls. The remains of very early pueblo. After a huge flood and fire there around the turn of the 1900's that came from up in the mountains near Salida and Canon. They need to repair the railroad tracks that got washed out in that spot, and, well. They just so happened to have a lot of destroyed building just down the road in pueblo. So, there they now lye. Just like in the movies of the old west. There was a man the was hung by a lynch mob here. The man had started his crime adventure in Dry Creek, Colorado just south of Denver. At some point he had found his way down to canon to hide out after killing a man. Then he robbed some more and other nefarious happenings. To which he was jailed, but then broke out of jail and stirred up more trouble and then went on the lamb. They captured him several rail days east in another state and brought him back here. The very first night that he was held in the county jailhouse, a lynch mob showed up. They beat the hell out of the sheriff and his son then dragged the guy kicking and screaming out into the streets where they hung him from a light post around 2nd and main street as a warning to other "tourists." Still a very time honored tradition in the hearts of every "true" local. Ye be warned! It's fun to mess with the tourists here. During the tourist season, the locals are burdened by the world. So to help us deal with so many wild animals, we tell them fun stuff like, This is the only river in the world that runs uphill. Or... "You're going rafting. Awesome! You're going to have such fun! Just watch out for them fresh water piranha!" The Royal Gorge Bridge is a hot spot for "jumpers." The staff there are always watching for those folks that take there shoes off. Telltale sign for some reason. The moral here is, come visit. But leave your ways back there. Be kind and mind your manners. If you come here causing grief or trouble, you'll never leave. We will smear honey on you and duct tape your naked ass to a tree in the woods, then walk away... enjoy😄
Lived in canon most of my life, the Klan isn't active in the Fremont area. It's a stupid thing people have said since I was a kid. I'd say it's about as racist as Pueblo or Springs.
As a resident of Canon City, I agree with this. No one is denying the presence of the KKK in the 20s and it’s well documented at the Royal Gorge Museum & History Center, but we keep getting people that heard from someone that heard from someone that heard from someone that it’s still going on. Unless it can be substantiated, this comment at the end of the video is just continuing to spread that rumor.
👍🙏>>>💚~~~Thank you for the video. I retired 2019 as a river guide on the Arkansas River and the Royal Gorge. Started rafting here in 1985. I am still rafting but not commercially. I am saving your video to share with the new raft guides for information add River talk to the customers..😀🚣
I learned so much from this nice compact video, thank you for the dedication 🙏🏻😄
Thank you!
Very interesting!
My mother is from Canon City; my grandparents on my mother's side lived there. My grandfather worked as a prison guard at the prison there. Canon City is the Walla Walla of Colorado.
PS I have subscribed....
Having first laid eyes on the Royal Gorge Bridge in 1968 at the age of 15, I was disappointed in 2016 when I next revisited it to see that it had turned into a very disappointing tourist attraction (dare I say trap?). If one can overlook the tourist glitter (thinking here of a bungee sling), the canyon itself and the history of the area are appealing. Did spend a pleasant afternoon in town and visiting the park along the Ark before continuing my trip home to the southeast.
first time i see the Royal Gorge Bridge was in 1977 have a pic on it wuth me my father and brother whent to school in that city then
When I tell people I was born there I always clarify “not at the prison”.
Well done, I'm interested in this area to relocate and your video is very helpful. Thanks.
Don't come here. We will eat you!
Decent work on this one. You hit on a lot of the interesting and fun history of Canon. However, there is much much more!
The territorial prison and elks lodge that still exist today were the center points for a hollywood movie made IN Canon City ABOUT Canon City CALLED Canon City. It was about a famous prison break that happened here way back when. Decent little flick. Still on netflix I think.
The fed pen south of Florence (near Canon) Once held such infamous characters as John Gotti, Ted Kazinski(unabomber), Timothy Mcvey(oklahoma bomber) and many more wonderful blights of society.
All of Canon City sits in a horseshoe shaped bowl from a long long ago extinct lake. This means that all of Canon is sitting on a bed of forever moving and shifting Clay that causes all the infrastructures to crack, shift, sink, rise etc.etc.. From pipes under ground like gas and water and sewage pipes, to housing foundations (no basements here folks!), and all the street. Inncodently one public pool that is now no more. Wanna move here now...?
On the south side of town sits the old Cotter mine. There is where uranium and yellow cake were either processed or stored that was the stuff the used in the two bombs that were dropped on Japan. Some time back, there was a big time rain fall and flooding that started washing ALL the content of that place down through town and into the Arkansas River.
There a so many mine tunnels under more than half the town that some day.... well. lol I bet you get the picture...
Some time shortly after the discovery of all the dinosaur skeletons, bones, and fossils that were mentioned in this video just north of Canon off of Red Canyon Road. There erupted a "Bone War" between two rival factions of would be archeologists. They were so hell bent on the other not getting the notoriety that the other thought they deserved that they sent raids into each others camps to blow up the bones and skeletons etc., with dynamite. Sad day for science there folks.
On Skyline drive there are two fun things to look at. The archway entrance off hwy50 is comprised of a stone from every state. On the climb up, look up to your left and you will see dinosaur footprints (triceratops I think). They were discovered by a grade school student in recent times only after decades and decades of people had walked past them not knowing.
The St Cloud Hotel (recently renovated and brought back to life), sat vacant, dilapidated, and rotting for years and decades. It was originally brought down to Canon brick by Brick from either westcliffe or silvercliffe( I can not remember which).
As you head west on hwy50 out of town. Just before the big turn on the west side of the prison, long ago before hwy50 existed. There used to be a natural spring which the local swore by. The water was pure crystal clear mineral spring water. The small towns folks had built pavilions and a park around it. My wife's grandmother painted a picture of it just before they tore it down for the new highway. That painting is hanging in my living room to this day. A reminder of what we lose for every "progression" forward. Rumors are abound thought that they capped and piped the spring and directed it under the highway to the south somewhere. No one can seem to located it though. The old walls of the pavilions can still be seen on what is now the prisons property. They sit there. A symbol of simpler more healthy times.
Presidents would ride through here on there election campaign tours on trains. My wife's grandfather got to see Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman speak from the luxury caboose of a train that stopped in Canon at that old train station (now a bank) at 9th street and hwy50.
When you first enter the actual canyon between Canon and Salida from the Canon side, if you look across to the other side of the river just after the bridge that crosses over the river for Martin Marrietta mining operation. you will see the railroad tracks sitting on some sort of stacked concrete block looking things. Well. Those are concrete walls. The remains of very early pueblo. After a huge flood and fire there around the turn of the 1900's that came from up in the mountains near Salida and Canon. They need to repair the railroad tracks that got washed out in that spot, and, well. They just so happened to have a lot of destroyed building just down the road in pueblo. So, there they now lye.
Just like in the movies of the old west. There was a man the was hung by a lynch mob here. The man had started his crime adventure in Dry Creek, Colorado just south of Denver. At some point he had found his way down to canon to hide out after killing a man. Then he robbed some more and other nefarious happenings. To which he was jailed, but then broke out of jail and stirred up more trouble and then went on the lamb. They captured him several rail days east in another state and brought him back here. The very first night that he was held in the county jailhouse, a lynch mob showed up. They beat the hell out of the sheriff and his son then dragged the guy kicking and screaming out into the streets where they hung him from a light post around 2nd and main street as a warning to other "tourists." Still a very time honored tradition in the hearts of every "true" local. Ye be warned!
It's fun to mess with the tourists here. During the tourist season, the locals are burdened by the world. So to help us deal with so many wild animals, we tell them fun stuff like, This is the only river in the world that runs uphill. Or... "You're going rafting. Awesome! You're going to have such fun! Just watch out for them fresh water piranha!"
The Royal Gorge Bridge is a hot spot for "jumpers." The staff there are always watching for those folks that take there shoes off. Telltale sign for some reason.
The moral here is, come visit. But leave your ways back there. Be kind and mind your manners. If you come here causing grief or trouble, you'll never leave. We will smear honey on you and duct tape your naked ass to a tree in the woods, then walk away...
enjoy😄
Thank you for the additional information that helps fill in the gaps! Cañon City is a great place, one of our favorites
I knew Ronald Lee White that was on death row but taken off at the state prison. Worked with the guy he decapitated and cut his hands off.
Lived in canon most of my life, the Klan isn't active in the Fremont area. It's a stupid thing people have said since I was a kid. I'd say it's about as racist as Pueblo or Springs.
I agree, but felt it needed addressing as it's a local stereotype
@@SkiLodgeColorado No issue, I just hear this all the time even from locals. Glad you went to Canon though and it got some eyes on it.
As a resident of Canon City, I agree with this. No one is denying the presence of the KKK in the 20s and it’s well documented at the Royal Gorge Museum & History Center, but we keep getting people that heard from someone that heard from someone that heard from someone that it’s still going on. Unless it can be substantiated, this comment at the end of the video is just continuing to spread that rumor.
👍🙏>>>💚~~~Thank you for the video. I retired 2019 as a river guide on the Arkansas River and the Royal Gorge. Started rafting here in 1985. I am still rafting but not commercially. I am saving your video to share with the new raft guides for information add River talk to the customers..😀🚣
That's really interesting, thanks for watching!
I’m thinking of retiring in canon city area. Any suggestions on best places around the city? Thanks