Salida History Book Signing & Release Event

Volume 1 of a new series documenting Salida history is released Thursday, October 17, 6:30 p.m. at a book signing event hosted by The Book Haven, 135 F Street, Salida.


Blood, Booze, and Whores, The History of Salida, Colorado, Volume 1: 1880-1881 is the first in an ongoing series written by Steve Chapman, historian for Salida Walking Tours. The author plans on releasing future volumes approximately every six months.

Shared through the journal of a fictional character, ‘Salida Sam’ Hayes, the book is 100% accurate historically. Early Salida was a wild west boomtown, filled with brutal conflicts, free-flowing whiskey, outlaws, fortune seekers, and shady ladies.

The narrator, ‘Salida Sam,’ speaks with the rough-hewn voice of his era. He’s a man of his time, and his time was often harsh, racist, and sexist. The book follows Salida from an empty, dusty flatland to a railroad hub and center of commerce where settlers found misery as often as success.

254 pages in length, Blood, Booze, and Whores includes maps and photographs from early Salida, timelines of key historical dates, and a chronology of the lives of central citizens.

The book signing event is open to the public and includes selected readings by the author, as well as a presentation on early Salida history. Autographed copies are available for sale. Seating is limited and early arrival is recommended.

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