Pueblo

As a Colorado native I can say there's always been a stigma about Pueblo. It seemed like one of those cities you'd go to and see the state fair and then get out as quickly as possible. As a child, I remember smoke stacks and dirty buildings. For years it had a bad image to the rest of Colorado, but I can no longer say that. I've had to spend some time down there recently and have grown to really like it. The people all seem to be so friendly and in the summertime it is so green and very pretty. Due to the Colorado climate, it's nice to see so many homes with xeriscaping throughout the city. I have spent most of my time on the west side of I-25 and have grown to enjoy it.

The Pueblo zoo is a small but very nice place to take the kids to see different animals. It has a petting zoo inside of it and sits on the edge of city park. There are lawns to relax on and indoor exhibits which are a nice place to hide if the weather changes. There's plenty of parking and the entrance fees are reasonable and a membership offers 1/2 price admissions to over 100 other zoos. When you're finished at the zoo you can take a picnic lunch over to the park and enjoy the gorgeous lake, beautiful trees, and playgrounds.

As with any other city, Pueblo has numerous restaurants and bars to choose from. They have the typical chain restaurants as well as some very good hole in the wall eateries. The overall feeling to me seems to be one of a family oriented place to live. Most of the neighborhoods are well maintained and look clean.

There are some issues with certain areas being rougher than others, but from my perspective and where I've been, they are centralized and not somewhere I would live anyway. However, the rate of crime here is higher than the average for the U.S.

Pueblo is a typical blue-collar, lower middle class city – small, with good hardworking people and a tendency towards poverty. Its history is filled with steel mills and mining, ghost stories and gangs. But I’ve grown to like it, even love it, in the four years I’ve lived here.

Those who have lived in southern Colorado for decades remember when Pueblo was full of gang activity, drugs, bad smells streaming from the mills and slaughterhouses. Nowadays, Pueblo is a different city. The people here have worked so hard to build a great future for themselves and their children. Although Pueblo remains a city of industry, it is beginning to develop a reputation for arts and culture as well.

Several years ago, Pueblo underwent extensive renovations to its historic district. The Riverwalk was rebuilt and repurposed; now it stands as a memorial to the many Pueblo veterans who served their country. Another memorial to New York’s twin towers lies just upstream. In the summer time, this downtown area is filled with farmer’s markets, street performers, and live music. The autumn months bring vendors and tourists from all over the southwest, as the Chili Festival and the State Fair come to town.

Even when the festivals have moved on, locals can still find places to enjoy the warmth and community of Pueblo. The Union Depot hosts banquets, seminars, and even burlesque shows on the weekends. If you’re looking for live music or comedy shows, the coffee shops and bars along Main and Union always have something. Phil’s Radiator features local rock and metal bands; the Daily Grind focuses on acoustic, folksy music; and the Pixie Inn and Bingo Burger usually have some combination of the two.

Pueblo has a long legacy. You can see it in every brick and stone – but you can also see the future being built alongside it.