From 1866 until 1979, Erie was one of the largest coal-producing towns in the nation. Numerous settlers contributed to building Old Town and making it one of the liveliest communities in northern Colorado. The Columbine Mine massacre in 1927 incited major changes to coal mining practices, inspiring unionization efforts nationally. The improved rights and working conditions that miners struggled to win benefit employees across America today. Emeritus Professor James B. Stull illuminates Erie's earliest pioneers, houses, schools and churches and the town's enduring evolution.
James B. Stull worked in higher education for over forty years and is an emeritus professor at San Jose State University. He earned BA and MA degrees at San Francisco State College and a PhD at Purdue University. He has authored over one hundred publications. He has consulted with more than sixty industrial, government and educational organizations. He is an honorary member of the Erie Historical Society and makes frequent presentations about the history of the Town of Erie.