Setting the Plains

The Eastern Plains of Colorado must have been a breathtaking sight in the early 1800s—thousands of bison and pronghorn roaming freely, with endless waves of grasses rippling under ever-changing winds.

This week, I stepped into that history during a visit to the Plains Conservation Center, just outside the Denver metro area. There, I spotted several herds of pronghorn and even caught a glimpse of a majestic golden eagle soaring overhead. But what struck me most was walking into one of the recreated historic sod homes—“sodies”—humble structures built from the very earth beneath our feet.

Standing inside, I couldn’t help but think of my great-grandparents, who lived in a similar home when they homesteaded this land in the late 1800s. It was a powerful, grounding experience—connecting the past to the present in a way that felt deeply personal.
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The land holds memory. Humans have shaped it, scarred it, and sometimes forgotten their role in its story. Without the vision of those who preserved this patch of prairie, we might have lost not only the landscape but also the lessons it carries. Places like the Plains Conservation Center remind us that we are part of nature, not apart from it.