Now mostly forgotten, or consigned to a few select remaining locations, Colorado had a significant fruit industry. Colorado orchards were first planted during the Golden Age of fruit development in North America. The great genetic diversity then available, combined with the uncertainties of growing fruit in Colorado, pushed early orchardists toward bold experimentation. By 1900, Colorado had four major orchard districts with renowned orchardists, hundreds of varieties, and tens of thousands of trees producing millions of dollars of crops. Pests, development, and even success doomed much of the fruit industry. Learn the story of our early fruit growers – what was here, what was lost, and what you can help save today. This class provided by the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project (video recording below) was paid for in part by a History Colorado, State Historical Fund grant (Project Number #2018-M1-020). The content and opinions contained do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of History Colorado.