GOLD HILL, Colo. A family has returned to the small Colorado mountain town of Gold Hill for the first time in 44 years, and found it hasn't changed much. Thankfully.

Gold Hill has no cell phone service, no running water and no heat until someone starts a fire in the potbelly stove. But when the "closed" sign turns to "open" at the Gold Hill General Store, the small Colorado mountain town comes alive.

WATCH: Denver7's Mike Castellucci takes a trip to the tiny town of Gold Hill

Dwight DeBroux owns the general store one of only two businesses in town.

"You have to try our chocolate chip cookie. Oh, it is

cookie," DeBroux said.

The cookies draw people in. Two minutes after opening, a family surrounded the potbelly stove the Smiths, who had just returned to Gold Hill for the first time in 44 years. It turned out Dustin Smith was born there.

"Brought my son here," Smith said.

His father, Woody Smith, remembered the town well.

"My wife and I lived here and my youngest son Dusty was born here delivered him with a mid-wife. One year, there was 12 feet of snow," Woody said.

After 44 years away, the family expected things to look different.

"Not much. The log cabins and the school (are) pretty much the same," Woody said.

Dustin pointed out the house where he was born a little home with small wagons out front, just two doors down from the general store. It turned out that house now belongs to the town's mayor. The Smiths and the mayor were in the general store at the same time but never met.

The mayor, Kelly Veit, described what the general store means to the community.

"It's a place for opinions, (to) drive consensus, move things forward, move things backward, if necessary," the mayor said.

The town's quietness is something residents take pride in.

"We sort of respect and honor our quietness here," the mayor said.

DeBroux moved to Gold Hill eight years ago after finding something he hadn't expected.

"Decided to move up here. When you hit the dirt road, your shoulders kind of relax, forget about the outside noise for a while, and have a real impact on real people in your community and be the change you want to be," DeBroux said.

The general store's appeal extends beyond locals. One employee came to Gold Hill while traveling and never left.

"I wound up staying and that was 14 years ago," she said.

For those who find their way to Gold Hill, whether passing through on the way to California or returning after decades away, the general store offers something hard to find elsewhere.

"Great energy up here," DeBroux said.

And the homemade pie doesn't hurt either.

"Yeah, they bought all the pie. It's homemade, we make these ourselves," DeBroux said.

ERIE, Colo. Seth and Eliese Varner, travel and history authors with Wandermore Publishing, are visiting every incorporated town in Colorado as part of what they call the largest town documentation project in Colorado history.

The couple, both in their 20s, are working their way through all 273 incorporated towns in Colorado. When they finish, they plan to publish "Wandermore in Colorado," a travel guide, history book and living photo album under one cover.

Denver7's Mike Castellucci caught up with them in Erie where they were trading their usual road trip for something a little different.

"We're on a rail bike at Erie Railbike Adventures," Seth Varner said.

Seth launched Wandermore Publishing after visiting every town in Nebraska his home state during the COVID-19 pandemic and his time in college. The project grew from there.

"It's a combination of all my passions. It's writing, it's travel, it's photography," Seth said.

Since then, the couple has documented every town in Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Minnesota before turning their attention to Colorado.

"We've covered all the Midwest states right corn fields, alfalfa fields, Kansas plains, the Land O' Lakes in Minnesota, but we've never done a mountainous state. It's so different," Seth said.

Watch Mike Castellucci's report in the player below:

Their goal is to showcase each town's food, art, and history, and to shine a light on communities that might otherwise go unnoticed.

"When people see our posts on Facebook sharing town spotlights, where their business would never be featured otherwise, it's cool to show off that every place matters," Seth said.

That mission resonated with Bob Rummer, owner of Colorado RailBike Adventures in Erie, who welcomed the couple to his business.

"It's not just a bedroom community here. There's history, there's coal mines, railroads, people that have lived and died up and down these railroad tracks, and if we can tell that story, it's not just another subdivision," Rummer said.

The stop in Erie also included trying a Colorado beignet the kind of local detail that will likely find its way into the pages of "Wandermore in Colorado."

Wandermore Publishing describes its mission on Facebook as "Documenting Midwest history and promoting small-town tourism one community at a time."

Boulder High School marked its 150th anniversary last week with a celebration that doubled as a reunion, welcoming back alumni, former teachers, and the community that helped shape the school's legacy.

Emily Gallegos, Boulder High School librarian and teacher, organized the event.

Denver7 reporter Mike Castellucci attended the celebration. Here's what he saw:

"There's so many stories here tonight and they're all an important part of Boulder High School history," Gallegos said.

Gallegos admitted the event was far outside her usual comfort zone.

"I've never planned an event bigger than my own birthday party," Gallegos said.

Boulder High School student council members Liv Hourihan and Lily Sirkus said the evening left them inspired.

"It's inspiring to see successful people here, and us following in their footsteps," Hourihan and Sirkus said.

Retired Boulder High teacher Jacqui Goeldner, who taught at the school for 21 years and witnessed 21 graduating classes, was among those who returned for the celebration.

"I consider it a great blessing of my life that I spent a 21 year teaching career at Boulder High School," Goeldner said.

Goeldner said being back on campus felt familiar.

"I feel at home when I'm in the courtyard," Goeldner said.

Boulder High School graduated its first class in 1876, before Colorado was officially a state.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Chloe Duplessis spends 50 hours a week at History Colorado, where she serves as program manager for the Colorado Black Equity Study, a two-year research initiative. In the time between, she creates art.

Her practice, Duplessis Art, produces period rooms and fiber pieces designed to honor ancestors and lesser-known aspects of Black history.

Watch Mike Castellucci's story below and hear what keeps Chloe Duplessis creating.

"I share this to connect to your heart. If you understand that these women wanted the same for their children as you want for yours, then it's harder to dismiss," Duplessis said.

The work is tactile and intentional. One piece a dress made from a coffee sack will be featured in an upcoming exhibit in Leadville.

"When you expand the distance in history, that's their history not my history, it's easier to dismantle, easier to pack away but when you understand that fundamentally, we are all connected, it's harder to do that," Duplessis said.

With each stitch of burlap, Duplessis works to honor enslaved women from the 1800s who prepared food for the wealthy. The Leadville show will also pay tribute to a woman named Jessie.

"Because this dress will be featured in the Leadville show, we're honoring a woman named Jessie who has the distinction of being the first baby born in Leadville, and she was a woman of color," Duplessis said.

Duplessis also has an installation currently open at Fort Garland in the San Luis Valley.

While her art works to open the eyes of others, Duplessis faces a threat to her own vision. A visit to the eye doctor revealed that what she believed was dry eye is actually a rare genetic condition that skips four generations. She is legally blind.

"I could wake up tomorrow and everything would be black, but I committed that I would show up every day as if my options were open and with that sense of commitment and awareness, we do five to seven shows a year," Duplessis said.

She continues to work in the minutes between the hours of her day job, using her art to preserve history and forge human connection.

To learn more about Duplessis' art installation "12 Tableclothes" in Fort Garland, click here.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Arlene Solis found her passion for journalism between art class and room 3352, home of the school newspaper at Boulder High School and now she's helping bring the school's student paper, The Owl, to life.

In the Owl's April edition, Solis earned a front-page byline for her story on Boulder High School's 150th anniversary, a milestone the school shares with the state of Colorado.

WATCH: Denver7's Mike Castellucci caught up with The Owl's incoming co-editor-in-chief as Boulder High celebrates its 150th year

For the story, Solis researched Boulder High School students during World War II and interviewed former students about their prom experiences in the 1970s.

"I read about WWII; students would have to bring scrap metal to school. It's interesting how they mobilized kids," Solis said.

One former student told her about a tradition that no longer exists.

"She said in the '70s they used to sleep over at the school and wake up herewe don't do that anymore," Solis said.

The reporting experience left a lasting impression on her.

"I found I really enjoyed interviewing people and I love the freedom of the class. It's a student led class unlike any class in high school. It's up to you to make the article happen and when it does, it's cool to see," Solis said.

The school's library even has a copy of a Boulder High School newspaper from 1917.

Librarian and teacher Emily Gallegos is helping plan the school's 150th birthday celebration a 300-person event.

"I've never planned an event bigger than my own birthday party, so it has been an exciting experience to plan a 300-person event," Gallegos said.

Next year, Solis will take on a new role at the Owl co editor-in-chief.

"I'm really excited and proud of them excited about the future of the Owl," Senior and Editor-in-Chief Ella Gibney said.

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad in Caon City, Colo., is more than a scenic ride it's a place where generations connect over a shared love of trains.

"It's a passion," Adam Clawson, who serves as an engineer, conductor and historian for the railway, said. "It's a lifestyle."

WATCH: Denver7's Mike Castellucci's takes a scenic ride with the people who make the Royal Gorge Route Railroad run

Engineer Bruce Barrett, 72, has spent more than five decades at the controls.

"This is my 52nd year running trains a real blessing," Barrett said.

When Barrett releases the brake and takes his seat, he leads hundreds of passengers through the stunning Royal Gorge, 956 feet below the world-famous Royal Gorge Bridge. The railway follows the Arkansas River along a 10-mile stretch out and back.

For Barrett, the emotion of the job never fades.

"I do get up here alone, and it is emotional at 72 years of age and be able to do this have the health and the mind to give a good ride," Barrett said.

Superintendent Alan Schade describes the experience of working on the railroad as something close to rock stardom.

"I grew up wanting to be a musician, the long hair, wanted to be a rock star, but then it was either rockstar or trains, and trains paid better had the chance to make it there," Schade said.

Schade has also worked to blend the railroad's history with modern experiences. One example is a 1954 railcar that has been reimagined for today's riders.

"We took this open-air car and now we added some modern technology to it. Trusses and lights and lasers, speakers you're still in the gorge but now you have music playing, lasers, people are dancing out here having a blast," Schade said.

Clawson, the historian who is just 23 years old, represents the younger generation finding a home here alongside veterans like Barrett.

For all of them, each trip through the gorge brings something new including wildlife that even lifelong Coloradans rarely see.

"They've lived in Colorado their whole life and have never seen a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep," Clawson said.

For Barrett, those moments in the gorge never grow old.

"Look at God's creation seasons change. I see different herds of bighorn sheep, and see their babies grow up. Yes, it is an emotional time for me part of the privilege and honor," Barrett said.