ALAMOSA — The Alamosa Public Library will host historian Dave Lively to present his talk, "Rocky's West Side Stories," and discuss the region's human history. The free presentation is on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 10 a.m. 

Imagine the courage of early settlers to follow Ute trails across the Continental Divide in search of a new home in an unsettled, harsh mountain environment. Or living in a cave, while digging a ditch to divert water out of a river. In this history presentation by Dave Lively, you will learn about the intersection of the Arapaho and Ute tribes and early settlers in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. Listen to stories of human nature encountering Mother Nature and be inspired to preserve the wilderness, wildlife, and wonder of Rocky Mountain National Park's west side.  

"I will cover some of the people who were here before Rocky Mountain was established as a national park, people who were here after the establishment, and people since," said Lively. 

Rocky Mountain National Park was created in 1915 when President Woodrow Wilson signed an act creating the park. Human history of what is now the park extends back 11,000 years when Native Americans first entered the area. 

"I am a historian here in Grand Lake, and I volunteered in the park for 15 years; I did a ranger-led program and took people on a walk of the Harbison homestead site." Lively added that the park service asked him to offer another ranger-led program I will present in Alamosa, Rocky's West Side Stories."  

Lively will take you on a journey that begins with this history, focusing on the west side of the park. He said he would “touch” on the Harbison Ranch, the story of the Harbison sisters, Annie and Kitty. The two homesteaded there in the 1890s, ranched, operated a dairy farm, and ran a guest home near Grand Lake. According to the National Park Service, the two sisters died within days of each other, "Some say of pneumonia, others say of a broken heart." Today, Harbison Meadow in the park bears their name in the Kawuneeche Valley. I will give a quick and broad overview of that Valley. 

"My talk covers 11,000 years of history in an hour. I will include the Paleo-Indians that were in what is now Rocky, and I move forward and cover the Ute and Aparaho; I will cover the first road in Rocky, the Fall River Road, then later Trail Ridge Road." The Fall River Road opened in 1920 and was the first road in the park to offer visitors access to the park's high country. The gravel road is open in the summer months and tops out at Fall River Pass at an elevation of 11,796.  

"I cover the broad aspect of people settling, the pioneers. I end with a quick introduction to the Junior Ranger program and how these rangers are the future of our national parks.”