National and State Register

Salida Downtown Historic District

Chaffee County

Between 1880 and 1930, downtown Salida became the center of a burgeoning railroad community.  Consisting of 111 buildings, the district’s size bears witness to the importance of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad as a local economic force during the period.

The Strait Building in the Salida Downtown Historic District, 2003.

Salida Downtown Historic District, 2003.

History Colorado.

Although Salida’s fortunes declined after 1930, due to changes in the Denver & Rio Grande system, it has managed to survive with a tourism based economy.