Salida

History

The Arkansas, Colorado, post office opened on June 16, 1880, but was renamed Salida on March 28, 1881. Salida, meaning "exit" in Spanish, was named on account of its location near the point where the Arkansas River flows out of the valley and into Bighorn Sheep Canyon, upstream from the Royal Gorge. The Town of Salida was incorporated on March 23, 1891. bypassing the nearby community of Cleora. Rather than risk their settlement withering away from lack of rail service, it is said that the population of Cleora moved to Salida en masse. That same year, the railroad continued from "South Arkansas," following up the Arkansas river, connecting with the rich silver mines of Leadville. Later that year, the Rio Grande connected South Arkansas to Poncha Junction. This small start would connect via Marshall Pass with the western slope and Salt Lake City, Utah, turning the newly re-christened Salida into an important junction in the early history of Colorado. As a result, Salida became known as a tourist and railroad enthusiast mecca into the mid-20th century.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , and the Arkansas River, which runs through the town, is the major source of water for local agriculture. The Sawatch Range runs north and south and is located roughly west of Salida. The Mosquito Range parallels the Sawatch Range to the east, forming the Upper Arkansas Valley, and the southern terminus of the range, just east of Salida, is known locally as the Arkansas Hills. Methodist Mountain, which is a major feature on Salida's southern horizon, is the northernmost mountain in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. To the north of Salida is the Upper Arkansas Valley and the town of Buena Vista. U.S. Route 50 runs along the southern edge of the city and leads east down the Arkansas River to Cañon City; to the west it leads to Poncha Springs and over the Continental Divide to Gunnison. Canon City and Pueblo lie to the east. According to the Köppen climate classification, Salida has a cold semi-arid climate (BSk)

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,008
• Black-billed Magpie

  Pica hudsonia (Sabine, 1823) · Aves
  2,995
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  2,681
• Northern Flicker

  Colaptes auratus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,367
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,354
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,204
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  1,911
• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  1,809