MEET YOUR GUIDE

STEVE CHAPMAN

Historian. Storyteller. Salida Local.

Historian, author, broadcaster, and Salida local, Steve Chapman brings Salida's past to life with a mix of history, humor, and deep respect for the people who lived it.

SALIDA LOCAL SINCE 2015

35,000 + GUESTS

1,200 + 5-STAR REVIEWS

6 BOOKS

my story

I've lived in Salida for over a decade, and I've spent even longer digging into its history.

I read the old newspapers. I study the records. I walk the streets. I talk to locals. I visit the places where it all happened.

I started Steve's Original Salida Walking Tours in 2018 because I wanted to share the stories that shaped our town - the true ones, the forgotten ones, and the ones people didn't believe until they saw proof.

History isn't just in the past.

It's all around us.

You just have to know where to look.

AUTHOR OF SIX BOOKS ON SALIDA HISTORY

salida's storyteller

I don't just tell you history.

I show you were it actually happened.

- Steve Chapman

Historian and researcher with more than a decade of primary source research

Award-winning radio producer and broadcaster

Award-winning podcast host

Author of six books on Salida history

Over 35,000 tour guests and counting

Salida's storyteller since 2018

RESEARCHED. VERIFIED. DONE RIGHT.

Every tour and audio experience is built on original research from trustworthy sources.

I follow the facts so I can share the stories with confidence.

NEWSPAPER ARCHIVES

Decades of articles, reports, and local stories.

HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS

Vistual history that brings the past to life.

PUBLIC RECORDS

Following the paper trail of people and events.

ORAL HISTORIES

Stories presented by the people who lived it.

CEMETERY RECORDS

Unearthing names, lives, and connections.

MAPS & FIELD RESEARCH

Digging deep for actual locations and details.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Salida history & Chaffee County history
Colorado local history
Historic architecture
Historic preservation
Cemeteries & geneology
Ghost stories & folklore
Frontier crime & true crime
Railroad history

BROADCASTING & PODCASTING

Award-winning radio producer and broadcaster recognized by the Colorado Broadcasters Association
2020 - Best Regularly Scheduled Entertainment Program
2021 - Best Podcast

Host of two popular history programs and a podcast:

Whistle Stop
The Last Train Out
Stories They Don't Put On Plaques

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY

Passionate about sharing history with future generations.

History month walking tours for Salida second graders
School programs and classroom visits
Public outreach through the Salida Museum
Former commissioner, Salida Historic Preservation Commission
Former board member, Salida Chamber of Commerce

MEDIA, SPEAKING & CONSULTING

Interviews with print, radio, TV, podcasts, and documentaries
Historical research & consulting for authors, filmmakers, & museums
Presentations for historical societies, libraries, community groups, and conferences
Available for private speaking engagements & consulting