Two-Lane Tidbit: Steve Canyon Statue, Idaho Springs, CO

Back in the days of comic strip heroes, adventurer and Air Force Captain, Steve Canyon, was a popular guy. Post World War II, the residents living in Squirrel Gulch in Idaho Springs, CO were feeling particularly patriotic and agreed to rename their region Steve Canyon, after the comic book character. Despite having nothing to do with the renaming, the creator of the comic strip, Milton Caniff, was tickled by the decision and the residents flew him out for the dedication. Three years later in 1950, the Indiana Limestone Company donated a larger-than-life statue of Steve Canyon that was erected in town and Caniff returned again to the sleepy former mining town. Moved from its original location in 2017 to a park along Clear Creek, most people passing through town pay no attention to the statue that when dedicated led the mayor at the time to declare that the statue would put Idaho Springs on the map. An easy jump off of I-70 gets you to the statue and a fun piece of history.

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