Have you ever wondered what to do on vacation? If you live in the Midwest, or in Colorado, to be more precise, I have a suggestion … Visit the southeast corner of Colorado and all the wonderful tourist sites around Lamar, Colorado.
Lamar, Colorado, is the hometown of some famous people. Will you recognize some of them, like Scott Elarton, currently of the Kansas City Royals? Writer Gary Penley put Lamar on the map with his book “Rivers of Wind” and NT Betz wrote “The Fleagle Gang: Betrayed by a Fingerprint,” a collaborative reporters report of a notorious crime that included the 1928 robbery of the First. National Bank that changed Lamar’s face forever. And me, Jan Verhoeff, a publicist and article writer who spends her time promoting new businesses and tourism businesses in the southeastern corner of Colorado.
Lamar, Colorado is a stop for famous people. Zebulon Pike chose Willow Creek Valley as his camp as his men endured a harsh winter and prepared for their long journey west to the spot where he saw Pike’s Peak. Although he never actually climbed the peak, it bears his name in memory. Oprah Winfrey paused long enough to label local cowboys as racist peasants, refer to those of us who live here as renegades who live in the “armpit of America” and enchant us by implying that we are all armed criminals. A host of country music stars have visited Prairie City and made their mark on the population with two wonderful country radio stations.
Lamar, Colorado, is home to the Big Timbers Museum. Recently renovated, the Big Timbers Museum houses a large collection of memorabilia from the area, military display cases including one of the 13 Revolutionary flags, and nifty specialties such as a huge ball of yarn, an early permanent wave machine (ouch!) And tributes to American pioneers.
Lamar, Colorado is a historic community on the Arkansas River. Home to a stolen Rail Road Depot, Lamar claims more than average historic structures and many stories to tell. This community features a welcoming Arts Center, Enchanted Forest (amazing on the dryland prairies), and the best-known golf courses and baseball fields on this side of Texas.
If you are looking for touristy things to occupy your time, visit our community and join any of the summer celebrations that occur during your visit. It’s a good time on the prairie tonight, the barn dance will be rocking!