It is our oldest social structure. It predates religion. It has survived the concerted attacks of various political experiments. It is the family -- father, mother, and children -- and it endures, at least in part, because it is wired right into our DNA.

To the popular mind, the public library has a pretty clear role: the library is a place that collects "library materials" (mostly books), organizes and lends these materials, and provides space for people either to read or to meet as a community.

Isabella Lucy Bird is one of the striking characters of Colorado history. One hundred and twenty-five years years ago, this remarkable Englishwomen climbed Long's Peak.

Isabella recorded her journey in letters back to her ill sister. These letters were later published (1879) as A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains.

There are costs to living in remote rural areas. You can't just run down to the supermart. There are no movie theaters or big hardware stores. There aren't, when it comes right down to it, many of the trappings of civilization.

But some might call these benefits, not costs. There are no traffic jams. There are no stoplights. At night, you can still see the stars. Deer wander your land. It is quiet.