I originally took a photograph of Rio Grande engine 499 on June 11, 2013. A few days later, fire swept through the Royal Gorge Park, forever changing the display. Find out the story of this locomotive and those like it in my newest video.
I think the Theresa Mine is a magical place. It’s here that I first fell in love with Teller County history, eventually leading to the creation of Stories from the Midland.
In this episode, I wander around the Theresa Mine with my Mamiya C220 film camera, explore the buildings, and take some black and white photos. I hope you’ll join me in my exploration!
Zebulon Pike was the first American adventurer to see Pikes Peak. He initially saw it as a "small blue cloud" on the horizon from 111 miles away. The peak was eventually named after him, and Pikes Peak has become one of the most well-known mountains in the United States. But Zebulon Pike was an exceptional man who did much more than discover a mountain.
I put on a wig and a beard and take a selfie with my WWII-vintage 8x10” Burke & James large format field camera.
William "Billy" Westall was a train engineer for the Denver South Park & Pacific Railroad who made a steep sacrifice to protect the train passengers under his charge.
References:
Author unknown. (1898, August 29). Faithful Engineer. The Colorado Daily Chieftain. 5.
Author unknown. (1898, August 30). Hero of the Rail. The Herald Democrat. 2.
Author unknown. (1898, August 30). Tell Her I Always Loved Her. The Rocky Mountain News. 10.
Author unknown. (1898, August 31). Westall Died Like a Hero. The Rocky Mountain News. 8.
Author unknown. (1898, October 18). Monument in Memory of an Engineer Hero. The Rocky Mountain News. 10.
Roeder, M. (1998). The Story of Billy Westall and the Westall Monument. Historically Jeffco. https://historicjeffco.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/98westall.pdf
Klinger, T. and Klinger, F. (2007). C&S Platte Canyon Memories & Then Some. Tom Klinger.
McCoskey, S. (2012, March 19). William G. “Billy” Westall. Find A Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/87039567/william-g-westall
Walden, S. (2019, August 28). Billy Westall of the Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad. Colorado Railroads. http://www.corailroads.com/2019/08/billy-westall-of-denver-south-park.html
U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad History.
In this episode, we take a look at the evolution of the mountain man - from beaver hunter to a mountain jack-of-all-trades. We also check in with Edlowe local Catamount Charley as he heads in to sell some hides.
References:
• Crutchfield, J. A. (1997, May). Mountain Men of the American West. Tamarack Books, Inc.
• Martinek, D. (2013, May). The legend of Catamount Charley. Ute Country News. Volume 5, Number 5. 2.
• Carsell, K. & Long, K. (2000, September). History and Mysteries of Catamount Ranch Open Space. Teller County Division of Parks.
• MacKell Collins, J. (2022). The Catamount Hills of Colorado. Jan MacKell Collins. https://janmackellcollins.wordpress.c.... Retrieved May 27, 2024.
The Vindicator was one of the highest producing mines of the Cripple Creek Gold District. Initially deemed valueless by Winfield Scott Stratton, the claim was developed by the Zang family of beer brewers.
References:
Author Unknown. (n.d.). Philip and Adolph J. Zang. Colorado Business Hall of Fame. http://www.coloradobusinesshalloffame.org/philip-and-adolph-j-zang.html
Author Unknown. (n.d.). Zang, Philip. Denver City Council. https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/denver-city-council/about-us/history-denver-city-council/biographies/zang-phillip.html
Greeson, L. A. (n.d.). The Vindicator Mine: History and Photo Gallery. Victor Heritage Society. https://www.victorheritagesociety.com/vindicator-mine.html
Author Unknown. (n.d.). Biography of Philip Zang. Zang Mansion. http://www.zangmansion.com/Albums.php
Author Unknown. (n.d.). Biography of Adolph J. Zang. Zang Mansion. http://www.zangmansion.com/Albums.php
He was a mean drunk, bordering on insane (according to his friends, anyway). And in 1880, his violent nature caught up with him.
References:
Foster, J., & Chase, R. L. (1953, March 15). Souvenirs of Old Hanging Come to Light in Fariplay. The Rocky Mountain News. 63.
Correa, T. (2019, September 28). The Hanging of John J. Hoover 1880. The American Cowboy Chronicles. http://www.americancowboychronicles.com/2019/09/the-hanging-of-john-j-hoover-1880.html. Referenced May 22, 2024.
Author Unkown. (1880, January 1). Wall & Witter. The Rocky Mountain News. 27.
Hawkins, & Bruner. (1879, April 3). HORRIBLE HOMICIDE: TUESDAY’S MURDER. The Fairplay Flume. 2.
Davis, C. C., Arkins, J., & Burnell, J. M. (1879, April 3). MURDER: Another Shooting Scrape at Fairplay. The Chronicle – Leadville, Colorado. 1.
Hawkins, & Bruner. (1878, August 28). At the sitting of the District Court. The Fairplay Flume. 3.
Hawkins, & Bruner. (1880, April 29). SENTENCE AND EXECUTION. The Fairplay Flume. 3.
This is my first attempt at a 360 degree video. In it we visit the area around the Vindicator Mine and have a look around. The video starts with a quick intro to 360 degree video to familiarize those of you who haven’t used it before, and then we head out to the Vindicator on a snowy day. Enjoy!
