 |
 |
| Union Depot, Pueblo |
Great Divide Pictures LLC
|
|
|
Frontier Pathways
|
Segment 4: A Legacy Carved in Stone
Standards-Based Themes: Economics, Preservation, Science and Technology, Settlement
|
Summary
The theme of opportunity, adversity, and perseverance continued in Pueblo. As railroads traversed America, General William Palmer saw a great opportunity. There was a need for steel rails and Pueblo offered access to the resources of ore, water and lime. This led to the building of a steel mill. All that was needed was the labor to do the difficult and dangerous work involved in steel production. Again, people came to find a place better than where they lived. Immigrants from Europe and Mexico helped to build the fortunes of the investors. In addition to having the discipline and strength to work in the mill, many immigrants also were masters of stone carving. They left their mark on many of the buildings in Pueblo. But adversity was again around the corner. A flood in 1921 and the Great Depression led to the ruin of Pueblo’s economy. Today, Pueblo celebrates its past, honoring its history through the restoration of its beautiful buildings and with a river walk along the Arkansas River.
|
Vocabulary
economy
Great Depression
iron horse
|
Pre-Viewing Focus
Pueblo’s Growth
- What does one need to make steel? Why was there a need for more steel?
- What two events ruined Pueblo’s economy?
- What is Pueblo like today?
The People
- From where did the mill get its workers?
- What made working in a steel mill a hard job?
- Why were these people willing to come to Pueblo to do such a hard job?
|
Post-Viewing Discussion
Pueblo’s Growth
- How did the railroad make life in the West different than it had been?
- How did the steel industry change the economy and life of Pueblo?
- What influences do you see from the many cultures that came to Pueblo over the years?
The American Dream
- How were the dreams of the immigrants who came to work in the steel mill different from the dreams of the earlier settlers? How were they alike?
- What qualities did these immigrants need to be successful in Pueblo?
- How did the steel industry change the economy and life of Pueblo?
|
Wayside Excursion: What Did They Leave Behind?>
|
|
|
|
Arcadia Building, Pueblo
Great Divide Pictures LLC
Throughout Pueblo the legacy of the immigrants is carved in stone. Many who come to work in the smelters and mills are masters of old-world arts.
|
|
 |
|
Steel mill
Courtesy, Pueblo City-County Library District
1880
William Palmer builds first steel mill (Colorado Fuel & Iron) in Pueblo.
|
|
 |
|
Steel mill worker
Courtesy, Pueblo City-County Library District
They come to Pueblo from Ireland, Italy, Prussia and Mexico—dreaming of a better future for their children.
|
|
 |
|
Colorado Fuel & Iron
Courtesy, Pueblo City-County Library District
Pueblo is transformed by hard-working immigrants.
|
|
 |
|
Main Street, Pueblo
Courtesy, Pueblo City-County Library District
1921
The Arkansas River floods Pueblo, leaving the city in shambles. |
|
|
