Little Town on the Plains: Keota, Colorado

It’s flat, windy, and dry--the middle of nowhere. The Eastern Colorado prairies look pretty bleak to most people. But to new homesteaders, they look like heaven. A family can prosper here and build for the future. There’s plenty of land (it’s free--just stake a claim), a railroad, a good school, and a strong community. Folks can support themselves, build some savings, and maybe leave something behind for the next generation. Keota doesn’t have everything, but it has all the things that matter. Freedom. Independence. Opportunity. Community. Those are the blessings that fill these empty prairies. Why was the town of Keota settled by homesteaders? What national and global events shaped Keota’s history? How does life today compare to living in Keota in the 1900s?