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Back when the west was young, the
grass was long, and the horses ran freely throughout NW Colorado. Life was
hard,life was laid back,life was challenging, life was peaceful, life was
stressful, life was
wonderful.
The indians came, they found food, grass for all the animals, horses to be used. They made this their home for many years.
The cattlemen came and with them outlaws and the need for horses increased. More people came, both good and bad. Those who could catch and train the wild horses were in demand. More people came, the towns grew, cattle were wanted in far away places. How do you connect a large, sparsely populated area with the rest of a sprawling country that needs its goods and services?
A young man from New York moved west with a dream. A dream that died in Craig, Colorado, in the county that was later named for him. David Moffats dream was to build a railroad from Denver to Salt Lake City. A railroad that would connect the NW corner of Colorado and all the goods produced there with people desiring those goods. His Denver & Salt Lake Railroad, which later became the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad and finally the Union Pacific Railroad, line ended at the Depot in Craig.
Craig still has a wild horse herd in the Sand Wash Basin and a neighboring one in the Piceance Basin near Meeker, Colorado. The Craig depot is still standing, barely, a delapitated reminder of days gone by. Both subject to distruction and disappearance from many fronts.
The Wild Horse to Iron Horse Project will preserve the memory, and protect this valuable heritage of a bygone era now and for future generations.
Contributions are tax-deductible and greatly appreciated
For more information call 970.824.0105
