Driving on Hwy 6 & 24 there was no I-70 in 1977 on a cold November day the hill sides were covered in a layer of beautiful white snow and a black horse came running down the hill which made the most beautiful scene. This California girl said I could live in a place with this kind of beauty. Little did I know that within four years I would move to Silt, Colorado and find that they did not have paved streets. Silt had other things to offer the most beautiful mesas and the most friendly people. Silt did have a small grocery and the best cheeseburger deluxe on the planet.

In the last thirty years in Silt the changes have been many, the oil shale boom brought needed money to the small agricultural town and a new town hall, new library and paved streets. Housing developments on the east and west mesas and the blessing of the Bair Ranch into a conservation easement to keep lots of beautifully maintained green fields for the enjoyment of the many. Silt has a new elementary school Cactus valley and a new high school Coal Ridge.

Silt has grown to have three restaurants and the Miners Claim continually winning honors for the best food in the valley with people coming from far and wide to enjoy the cuisine. Although the original Silt bar and Café building is still here the business is closed and much missed by those of us who have been here a while. The old west stories of someone riding a horse into a bar for a drink were very true of the Silt Bar and the dancing was great after a day at the town celebration Hey Day the first weekend in August. With the addition of the Silt Trade Center many small businesses have re located to the town and with that comes the peripheral business that come with growth. The Oil and Gas industry has helped build the economy of this mountain town.

Still mainly an agricultural area Silt is the center of recreation in the mountain region. Hunting for trophy elk, deer, bear, wild turkey, mountain lion all native to the area are cause for a economic boom every fall.

For winter sports Silt is within one hours to hour and one half drive of all the major ski areas, Powederhorn, Ski Sunlight, Buttermilk, Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, Aspen Mountain, Beaver Creek, Vail, Copper Mountain, Keystone, Breckenridge, Arapahoe Basin and Loveland. Nordic skiing trails cover the area as well as snowmobile trails that will take you from Silt the end of Grand Mesa.

For the summer time recreationalist Silt is the middle fishing country whether you choose to float, fly or spin cast. If you choose there is public land along the river banks to just sit with a cane pole and a bobber. Windsurfing on Harvey Gap North of town or water skiing Northwest at Rifle Gap State Park. Rock climbing at Mountain Park is world renown, with 66,000 sq miles of public lands there is plenty of places to hiking or horse back riding.

With the activities of the Silt Chamber and the Economic Development Committee we are seeing new business come to this small town, grant monies have helped to dress up some of the old buildings and we are starting to see a new face on the town. A business friendly community looking for new industry to come and add to this growing community.