Greeley

9781467133463

$24.99

In October 1869, Nathan Meeker, the New York Tribune's agricultural editor, visited the Colorado Territory. Impressed with the scenery, people, climate, and resources, he wrote an article, A Western Colony, for the Tribune, inviting principled people with money to invest in a temperance and agricultural colony. Over 3,000 prospective colonists wrote to Meeker. On December 23, Meeker founded the Union Colony, a joint-stock colonization company, and chose 737 of the best applicants as members. In April 1870, the company established the town of Greeley, named for Tribune editor Horace Greeley. Founded on the principles of temperance, religion, education, agriculture, irrigation, cooperation, and family values, Greeley became the Weld County seat in 1877. Agriculture and water development ensured Greeley's reputation as the Garden Spot of the State. Potatoes became its first commercially viable crop. From 1900 to 1950, agricultural expansion ushered in a succession of immigrants, including Germans from Russia, Japanese, Hispanics, and Mexican nationals, looking for work and new opportunities. Greeley's economy, growth, and diversity remain rooted in the land and its people.

Cover image for Greeley, isbn: 9781467133463

Denver's Historic Homes

9781467130585

$24.99

Images of America: Denver's Historic Homes provides a mere introduction into the myriad of architectural styles and the unique blending of cultures that have made the Rocky Mountain region so remarkable, from the city's inception as a mining claim to what it has become today. From itinerantly used sod and log homes to mansions that rivaled the grandest of their period, Denver's eclectic gathering of early residents produced a landscape of architectural monuments that attest to the people's needs, desires, values, and occasional eccentricities.

Denver's Historic Homes cover featuring a large sepia Victorian house with a dark title badge

Morgan County

9781467115650

$24.99

Pioneers came by the thousands, drawn by the promise of wealth in the Rocky Mountains. The dry, arid plains were a pass-through to most, but a few hardy souls saw potential in the region. They faced the harshest conditions; howling winds, little rainfall, intense heat followed by bone-chilling cold, isolation, and hostile Native American tribes were constant threats to survival. The pioneers of Morgan County were men and women of vision, perseverance, and inner strength. They were problem solvers who dug reservoirs and irrigation canals, built roads and railroads, and created an economy out of what others refused to see. Today, Morgan County is a place of an active agricultural lifestyle, supported by the businesses in the area. Its rich cultural diversity encompasses residents whose countries of origin span the world.

Cover image for Morgan County, isbn: 9781467115650

Forgotten Colorado Silver

9781467135252

$21.99

At the turn of the last century, miner Joseph Lesher attempted to raise the price of silver by privately minting octagonal Referendum souvenir medal coins with values of $1.25 or $1. They were common in Victor, Cripple Creek, Denver and other places in Colorado in the days after William Jennings Bryan fought unsuccessfully for free silver. Surviving an initial dust-up with the Secret Service, Lesher found a loophole to place them in circulation in 1900 and 1901. Today, coin collectors pay more than $1,000 for one. This is the story of Joseph Lesher and his audacious private mint, along with the merchants in the mining towns and elsewhere who supported him.

Cover image for Forgotten Colorado Silver, isbn: 9781467135252

Union Station in Denver

9781626199644

$21.99

On June 1, 1881, Denver's Union Station opened as the largest structure west of the Mississippi. The station welcomed people from all walks of life, from pioneers and miners to U.S. presidents and Buffalo Bill Cody—and even royalty from abroad. It served as the center point for transporting cargo to Denver before the rise in popularity of air travel. Due to revitalization efforts, Union Station is the centerpiece of the nation's largest transportation hub and the pride of the city. Author Rhonda Beck explores the history and stories behind one of the Mile High City's most iconic historic landmarks.

Cover image for Union Station in Denver, isbn: 9781626199644

Denver's Park Hill Neighborhood

9780738580449

$24.99

The stately yet welcoming Park Hill neighborhood, located just east of downtown Denver, was platted from prairie lands in 1871 by energetic real estate speculators. A horse-drawn rail car began transportation service in later years to and from Denver as homes in Park Hill became popular. Eventually, Denverites invested in Park Hill lots and wealthy citizens built architecturally sophisticated homes, creating an enclave of Denver society. When automobiles became popular in the 1910s, Park Hill became a popular place to raise a family and has continued as an attractive residential area for more than a century. The home of Denver's elite for decades, including mayors and other leading politicians, Park Hill has embraced diversity in the 21st century, encompassing blue-collar workers along with the physicians, attorneys, and professional athletes.

Cover of Denver's Park Hill Neighborhood with a sepia photograph of a girl at a wrought iron gate.

American Indians of the Pikes Peak Region

9780738548470

$23.99

Thousands of years before Zebulon Pike's name became attached to this famous mountain, Pikes Peak was home to indigenous people. These First Nations left no written record of their sojourn here, but what they did leave were stone circles, carefully crafted arrowheads and stone tools, enigmatic petroglyphs, and culturally scarred trees. In the 1500s, Spanish explorers documented their locations, language, and numbers. In the 1800s, mountain men and official explorers such as Pike, Fremont, and Long also wrote about these First Nations. Comanche, Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Kiowa, and Lakota made incursions into the region. These nations contested Ute land possession, harvested the abundant wildlife, and paid homage to the powerful spirits at Garden of the Gods and Manitou Springs. Today Ute Indians return to Garden of the Gods and to Pikes Peak each year to perform their sacred Sundance Ceremony.

Cover image for American Indians of the Pikes Peak Region, isbn: 9780738548470

African Americans of Denver

9780738556253

$24.99

The city of Denver was born during the great "Pikes Peak or Bust" gold rush of 1859 when flakes of placer gold were found where the South Platte River meets Cherry Creek. With the discovery of more gold, Denver became a boomtown, and African American pioneers began to arrive in search of prosperity and a better future. Initially, Denver's African Americans lived scattered throughout the city and in the Cherry Creek area. By the late 1890s, most had relocated to the Five Points Neighborhood. Many worked in Denver during the week and farmed their homesteads in Dearfield on the weekends. They often spent their holidays at Winks Lodge and summers at Camp Nizhone.

Images of America cover African Americans of Denver showing a sepia banquet scene.

Ski Patrol in Colorado

9781467102513

$24.99

The Army's 10th Mountain Division, developed during World War II for combat missions in the mountains of northern Italy, evolved into ski patrols as we know them today. Far-reaching and nuanced, the job of a ski patroller combines long days, physically demanding work in high alpine environments, and the ability to respond to complex medical emergencies. In Colorado, ski patrol has grown from a volunteer operation to a professional workforce—incorporating advancements in lifesaving techniques, avalanche forecasting, and specialized guest services. Relying heavily on their fellow patrollers, life-long friendships are forged on the mountain and often embellished in legendary tales—many of which are shared within.

Cover image for Ski Patrol in Colorado, isbn: 9781467102513

Sterling

9780738581521

$24.99

The city of Sterling in northeast Colorado is at a crossroads of several trails historically and modern roads and highways today. The area was once inhabited by the Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Crow, Blackfoot, Sioux, Kiowa, and Pawnee tribes. The earliest Europeans were fur trappers on their way to the Colorado Mountains. The Sterling area is also noted for one of the final battles of the Indian wars, the battle of Summit Springs, between Tall Bull's Cheyenne Dog Soldiers and Col. Eugene A. Carr and the U.S. Army, southeast of Sterling on July 11, 1869. Today the city of Sterling is the county seat for Logan County. It is located at the junction of the South Platte River, Interstate 76, and Highways 6, 14, 61, and 138. Its history as an agricultural community is still a vital part of the economy and culture. Many of the celebrations seen in this book are annual events today, including the county fair and Sugar Beet Days.

Sterling book cover showing a historic steam locomotive with people posed around it.

Haunted Hotels of Southern Colorado

9781467141970

$21.99

Ghastly Hospitality

The footsteps of silver kings, grizzled miners and sleek saloon girls faded, but their dark shadows still whisper in the halls and glide silently down the stairs. Heartbroken Dr. Luigi ended his life with a .45 at Silverton’s Grand Imperial but still makes his nightly rounds, checking on guests’ health. Furious Liz, abandoned by her lover, breaks dishes and throws pots around the Forest Queen’s kitchen. The laughter of the Tarabino children echoes through the halls of their home, now the Tarabino Inn. In the silence of the night, pretty Ellar Day screams bloody murder at the Beaumont.

Author Nancy Williams revisits the unbridled revelry, scandalous romps and grand gala affairs that characterized the unique hotels where the paranormal persists.

Cover image for Haunted Hotels of Southern Colorado, isbn: 9781467141970

Magic Mountain

9781467134750

$24.99

Nestled in the foothills of Golden, Colorado, construction started on Magic Mountain just two years after Disneyland's opening season. Through never-before-seen photographs, Magic Mountain tells the exciting story of the first attempt in America to spread the Disneyland model. The dream of a theme park in Colorado was conceived by Walter F. Cobb and designed by Marco Engineering of Los Angeles. The park saw tens of thousands of visitors, even during the construction period. They witnessed live gunfights and playhouse melodramas and took a ride on the Magic Mountain Railroad. Unfortunately, the park closed at the end of its premier season in 1960, but it would eventually evolve into Heritage Square. For over 40 years, this venue brought fun and entertainment to the young and young at heart, following Cobb's vision of a clean, entertaining, and educational park for the whole family.

Cover image for Magic Mountain, isbn: 9781467134750

Hello, Rockies!

9781938700217

$9.95

Welcome to the Rockies! Parent and child Black Bears tour the Rockies in best-selling author-illustrator Martha Day Zschock's Hello! board book series for children. In Hello, Rockies! join the pair as they visit four of America's most beautiful National Parks--Rocky Mountain, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier. Along the way they meet park rangers, explore mountain trails, visit old mining towns, sleep under the stars, and even go white water rafting! For ages 0-3. Made in the USA.

Cover image for Hello, Rockies!, isbn: 9781938700217

Hammond's Candies

9781626197169

$21.99

In 1920, Carl T. Hammond founded his company with a commitment to quality. He single-handedly developed recipes, sold candy and handled everything else required to run the small operation. Nearly a century after that humble beginning, Hammond's Candies still clings to that original vision, creating prized confections by hand. The Mitchell Sweet, first introduced in the 1930s, is still a top seller, and visitors touring the factory can view the original machinery being used in production. Author Corky Thompson traces the history and growth of this family-owned company from 1920 until its sale at the end of the twentieth century and follows its transition under new ownership to the present time.

Cover image for Hammond's Candies, isbn: 9781626197169

Haunted Leadville

9781467159951

$21.99

Drawn to the potential riches hidden in the rocks they mined, the first dreamers and drifters of Leadville arrived to stake their claims—and some never left.

The Tabor Opera House once hosted séances that filled every seat, and rumor has it that the Delaware Hotel hosts ghostly guests that never checked out. The first city graveyard was later abandoned for Evergreen Cemetery, but not all the residents were moved before the railroad was built over top of them. And in a shack near the Matchless Mine, the shade of the infamous Elizabeth “Baby Doe” Tabor waits for good fortune to come again. The mine she bet her life on never produced more silver.

Author Erin Taylor brings to life the history behind the supernatural stories of Leadville.

Cover image for Haunted Leadville, isbn: 9781467159951

Vail

9780738595320

$24.99

Prior to 1962, sheep ranchers and homesteaders occupied Gore Creek Valley. A sleepy place studded with aspen and pine groves, the valley lay ripe for discovery. Two men, Pete Seibert and Earl Eaton, had a dream to build the perfect ski area. Earl knew of a mountain, and they climbed No-Name Mountain in 1957. Although the mountain seemed unpretentious, when Pete reached the top and saw the treeless back bowls, he smiled at Earl. The men had found their mountain. That day, Vail was born. With the spirit of adventure, the dream shaped the mountain, the mountain shaped the village, and the village prospered. As American skiing grew, it became a sport and then a lifestyle, and Vail is now the largest ski resort in America. Winter is why people come and summer is why they stay. How this all happened in 50 years is a story of dreams, perseverance, creativity, and unforgettable people.

Cover of Vail The First 50 Years with a snow scene and a group of people against a mountain backdrop

Northwest Denver

9780738589022

$24.99

For most of its history, thanks to its geography, Northwest Denver has felt like a world apart from the rest of the city. West of the South Platte River, and with much of its land elevated above the rest of Denver, the northwest side attracted people who wanted to leave behind the dirt and sins of early Denver to improve their physical and moral health. As time went on, successive waves of immigrants endowed the area with their own cultural traditions, many of which continue to thrive. Northwest Denver has also been a pleasure ground, home to the Elitch Gardens, Lakeside, and Manhattan Beach amusement parks, beautiful lakes, and other amenities. Today, Northwest Denver, encompassing such varied neighborhoods as Highlands, West Highlands, Berkeley, Sunnyside, Sloan's Lake, and Jefferson Park, is experiencing renewed popularity as newcomers and longtime Denverites discover its charms.

Cover image for Northwest Denver, isbn: 9780738589022

Colorado National Monument

9780738569796

$24.99

Amid the rock spires and red-rock canyons west of Grand Junction near the Utah state line, a young man with a checkered past single-handedly built trails.

On a salary of $1 a month, John Otto brought the beauty of the canyons to the attention of the local chambers of commerce and eventually the National Park Service. With the stroke of a pen, Pres. William Taft added the Colorado National Monument to the park system in 1911. Otto's eccentricities toward bureaucrats and businessmen caused him to abandon a quarter-century of trail building in the mid-1930s. His legacy was then picked up by hundreds of young men from the Civilian Conservation Corps prior to World War II. Today their combined efforts bring thousands of hikers, bicyclists, and motorists to the same trails Otto first used to introduce people to the canyon lands a century ago and the odd rock monoliths that seem to rise hundreds of feet out of the canyon floor. Scenic vistas of the Little Bookcliffs mountain range and the great Grand Mesa complete the beautiful panorama.

Cover image for Colorado National Monument, isbn: 9780738569796

Grand Lake

9781467133401

$24.99

The village of Grand Lake, Colorado, located at 8,367 feet above sea level, is the western gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park amid the Never Summer Wilderness Area. Nestled along the shores of the largest, deepest, and--many suspect--coldest natural lake in Colorado, the village presents a charming portrait of snow-capped peaks, moose hollows, and glacier-fed waters that surround a town with wooded boardwalks and historic hewn-log hotels. Only a few generations ago, the area was the hunting and fishing grounds of both the Ute and the Arapaho Indian tribes, who each called the clear body of water "Spirit Lake" based on their own legends about this mystical place. The village's hardy mountain residents, many of whom are descendants of the area's original permanent settlers, help to shape, but never conquer, the subalpine terrain, with its annual unforgiving winter environments and perfect summer evenings. Times are still simpler in this mountain village but also accurately reflect an octogenarian resident's words: "life might be easier now, but it was simpler in the days of kerosene lamps and wood burning stove, when each man's sleigh bells had their distinctive ring." We present mostly the "then" and some of the "now" of Grand Lake, which are both unusually similar and equally admired by residents and visitors alike.

Cover image for Grand Lake, isbn: 9781467133401

Mines Around Silverton

9781467132862

$24.99

Silverton is located in the heart of the San Juan Mountains, which have been described by H.H. Bancroft as the wildest and most inaccessible region of Colorado, if not North America. The region has a long and colorful mining history, dating back to the Spanish exploration of the area in the 18th century. For the past 250 years, men have sought gold and silver in these mountains. However, full-scale mining did not begin until the 1870s, and for more than a century, mining was the lifeblood of Silverton and the surrounding area. The San Juan Mountains have been called one of the four great mining areas of Colorado, in a state known for its mining heritage. This is not only the story of the mines but also of the men and women who worked and lived in these rugged mountains.

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Fort Carson

9781467103213

$24.99

Army scout Kit Carson rode the Southwest in many capacities. He served and retired in Colorado, and so Fort Carson is appropriately named. On land once traversed by Lt. Zebulon Pike, Camp Carson was constructed almost overnight under the watchful eye of Pres. Franklin Roosevelt and with the approval of the neighbors in Colorado Springs. Since its creation, the post has been the home and training grounds for thousands of soldiers who have fought in all wars from World War II to the current war on terror. Fort Carson continues to be a valuable asset to the community economically and in its generosity with resources when a local need arises.

Fort Carson cover from Images of America showing a vintage helicopter on a tarmac with mountains in the distance

Meeker

9781467132022

$24.99

The free-roaming Ute Indians were the first modern-day people to live in the White River valley. After mounting tensions erupted into violence and the Indian agency near present-day Meeker was attacked, the Ute were soon evicted from northwestern Colorado in 1881. By that time, adventurous people were pressing in at all sides to settle the area. Settlers drawn by land speculation and ranching populated this rural area. Ranching, hunting, guiding, and coal, oil shale, oil, and gas extraction were the ways people made their livings, or hoped to, in this region. Meeker had it all with a touch of Wild West and a promise of the American dream--and all in a setting that would lure Teddy Roosevelt himself. Inside this book are glimpses of the people, traditions, celebrations, and ways of life of those who lived here before us.

Meeker cover showing a group of men standing outside a brick post office.

Early Aspen

9781467133180

$24.99

Until 1879, the Roaring Fork Valley was home to a band of Colorado Ute Indians. All of that changed in the summer and fall of that year, when two prospecting teams came to the valley to stake their claims, some of which went on to produce millions of dollars of silver. Within five years, Aspen was home to over 20,000 individuals including miners, lawyers, families, businessmen, and even prostitutes. Aspen's fortune was tied to silver. More importantly, its fate was ultimately tied to the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890, which required the US government to buy 4.5 million ounces of silver per month. From 1890 to 1893, the Sherman Act kept Aspen alive and growing. With the repeal of the act, Aspen began a slow, painful decline. This book covers the years of Aspen's discovery, through the years of decline, and into what is known as the Quiet Years.

Cover image for Early Aspen, isbn: 9781467133180

Lost Denver

9781467132916

$24.99

Newcomers to the Mile-High City of Denver, whether arriving during the 19th, 20th, or 21st centuries, have often remarked on how new the city seems, and how proud its citizens are of it. Heady boom times at various intervals have inspired successive waves of city builders eager to make their mark by building grand, new edifices. Often, these new wonders replaced older structures that earlier Denverites had once seen as great accomplishments. As Denver has grown to become the hub of a major American metropolis, remnants of its earlier heritage have vanished into history, leaving newcomers to ponder, What makes Denver Denver? and longtime residents to ask, Where has my Denver gone? Lost Denver celebrates what the city once built and has since lost, along with what has made it unique, exploring where and how Denverites once worked, shopped, and played.

Cover image for Lost Denver, isbn: 9781467132916

Black Canyon of the Gunnison, The

9780738569192

$24.99

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison River is one of the deepest, narrowest, and most inaccessible canyons in the United States. Very few explorers have ever traversed the 53-mile gorge in Gunnison and Montrose Counties. The canyon, one of the nation's wonders, has been the precipitous stage for an exciting history featuring Ute Indians, a narrow-gauge railroad, sensational explorations, and the construction of the Gunnison Tunnel--the first major Bureau of Reclamation project in history. The Black Canyon became a national monument in 1932 and a national park in 1999. Today it remains a crown jewel of Colorado's Western Slope.

Sepia toned The Black Canyon of the Gunnison cover with a rugged canyon and railroad tracks.

Plateau Valley

9781467115452

$29.99

Known to the Ute Indians as Thigunawat (Home of the Departed Spirits), the Grand Mesa has been a beacon for adventurous souls for hundreds of years. In 1776, the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition crossed through the area while searching for a route that would become the Old Spanish Trail. In 1881, with the removal of the Ute Indians to reservation lands, homesteaders arrived and began settling in Plateau Valley. Nestled along the Grand Mesa, the valley is home to the communities of Collbran, Plateau City, Mesa, and Molina. Many of the historic buildings are still in use, and the Community Church Building has been designated a historic landmark. Recreational opportunities abound, both within the valley and nearby on the Grand Mesa. Camping, fishing, hiking, hunting, skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing are among the favorites.

Cover image for Plateau Valley, isbn: 9781467115452

Great Sand Dunes National Park

9780738596945

$24.99

Southern Colorado's unique Great Sand Dunes rise to a height of 750 feet above the San Luis Valley floor and are the nation's highest dunes not adjacent to an ocean or lake. The sweeping dunes were protected as a national monument in 1932 and as a national park in 2000. From prehistoric hunter-gatherers to the historic Ute Indian tribe, inhabitants have long used the resources of the land around the dunes. Zebulon Pike was the first American explorer to witness the dunes in 1807, followed by a long procession of other explorers, ranchers, and miners. Today, visitors from around the world come to climb up and slide down the dunes in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

Cover image for Great Sand Dunes National Park, isbn: 9780738596945

Beaver Creek

9781467131933

$24.99

Since 1883, Beaver Creek has attracted adventurous individuals. The allure of precious minerals brought miners to the valley, and many stayed after the illusion of striking it rich began to fade. Those folks homesteaded and farmed or ranched. Ranching flourished for a few families until the early 1970s. Two men credited with developing the Vail ski area set their sights on the Beaver Creek drainage for a new ski resort. Political battles over permits stretched from Denver to Washington, DC. In addition, environmental issues burgeoning in the early 1970s added another layer of complexity to the proposed ski area. Dark days were looming as interest rates hit 18 percent and a recession hit the national economy. A silver lining in all the turmoil at the fledgling resort occurred when former president Gerald R. Ford bought one of the first residential lots, making Beaver Creek his address. The original visionaries' goal to build a world-class resort was on its way to completion after years of challenges.

Beaver Creek cover in Images of America showing a sepia hillside and a family posing in front of a haystack by Laura Chiappetta Thompson

Conifer

9781467103008

$24.99

Gold! The lure of the precious metal brought 1860s prospectors along the toll roads that met to form the nucleus of today's Conifer. That era also brought Confederate guerrillas who buried a fortune in treasure and new settlers who were greeted by the Ute, Arapaho, and Cheyenne people. Successful ranches grew, worked by families whose descendants still remain in the area and harvest the land's bounty. In later years, the area's natural beauty inspired the creation of both the Denver Mountain Parks and Jefferson County Open Space parks systems, as well as the magnificent Staunton State Park. That same beauty led to housing developments with amazing views south to Pike's Peak and north to Mount Evans. Today, Conifer offers a glimpse of the past with its Yellow Barn and Little White Schoolhouse, as well as exciting new attractions such as the Venue and Stage Door Theaters, the annual Elevation Celebration and Christmas parade, and vibrant retail centers.

Cover image for Conifer, isbn: 9781467103008

Erie

9780738576169

$24.99

Erie grew from the discovery of coal in the mid-1800s. Its mines became the largest suppliers of lignite coal in the northern Colorado coalfield. Unions quickly moved into Colorado to push for improved working conditions and miners' rights to participate in decisions affecting their jobs. When mine owners refused to honor their requests, miners went on strike, and owners hired scab labor from Europe, Asia, and Mexico. Tensions mounted, and local miners sabotaged mines by setting explosives and otherwise damaging property. Colorado's governor established a special militia to deal with the strikers. The armed militia wounded and killed miners and their families in southern Colorado's Ludlow Mine and Erie's Columbine Mine. Government intervention and the sympathetic viewpoint of the owner of the Columbine Mine led to the first Colorado coal company to unionize. Miners fought for working conditions that characterize many of today's best-run companies. With the closing of the last mine in the area in 1979, Erie has grown to become a bedroom community in the Denver-Boulder metropolitan community.

Historic group photo in front of a vintage passenger train on the Erie cover of Images of America

Cortez

9780738574745

$24.99

Colorado's southwesternmost city has perpetually verged on all that is desirable in the American Southwest for tourism, recreation, and high-desert living. Cortez is surrounded by scenic mountains and red-rock canyons, Anasazi archaeological sites and a varied Native American heritage, and a sunny climate. Yet for centuries, rugged landscapes and lack of water made communication, transportation, and commerce difficult. Residents developed a fierce self-reliance. Area farmers received a boost when the Dolores River was diverted in 1889 by the nearly unimaginable man-and-mule-hewn Great Cut and a 5,400-foot-long irrigation tunnel. Cortez's hardscrabble growth found additional relief in the 1950s due to the Four Corners gas and oil boom. Congressman Wayne Aspinall helped establish the Dolores Water Conservancy District in 1961, construction of McPhee Dam on the Dolores River began in 1978, and finally in 1986, Montezuma Valley obtained a reliable water supply. Lake McPhee provides water for farms, families, and enterprises and adds to local beauty and recreation.

Cortez book cover with a sepia image of a frontier mining camp, workers and horses around a trench.

Historic Tales from Park County

9781626191617

$21.99

The geographic center of Colorado, Park County has long served as a recreational area for Denver and Colorado Springs residents looking to get away. The scene has not always been so idyllic. Marshal Cook was shot while investigating a loud party in Como in 1894, and rumors spread by the Michigan Creek School Board sent Benjamin Ratcliff on a killing spree in 1895. But the county's hardscrabble heritage includes triumphs as well as tragedies. In 1873, county seat Fairplay lost every business on Front Street to a horrific fire. But by 1878, they had rebuilt it all. It still stands today, a true testament to the strength of this old mining town. Journalist Laura Van Dusen shares these stories, outlining the many trials and successes of Park County's earliest settlers.

Cover image for Historic Tales from Park County, isbn: 9781626191617

Hollywood of the Rockies

9781609497439

$21.99

In the early days of the twentieth century, movies weren't made in California. As America's film pioneers traveled westward, Colorado became a beacon to them, contributing to the early motion picture business with all the relish and gusto of a western saga. The gorgeous natural scenery was perfect for the country's (and the world's) growing infatuation with the West, turning Colorado itself into a bigger star of the early cinema than any particular actor. Using rare photos and contemporary accounts, writer and filmmaker Michael J. Spencer explores the little-known filmmaking industry that flourished in the Rocky Mountains between 1895 and 1915--west of New York but east of Hollywood.

Hollywood of the Rockies book cover with three vintage photos and a mountain landscape

The Yampa Valley Sin Circuit

9781626191679

$21.99

Far from the rest of civilization, but with plenty of money and booze close at hand, Steamboat Springs and the surrounding towns of Oak Creek, Yampa, Hayden and Craig were filled with shady characters with even shadier pasts. Many of the saloonkeepers in these areas opened multiple enterprises, allowing the various soiled doves of the region to move from town to town and bar to bar every few months to keep business fresh or to escape entanglements that had gone sour. Historian Laurel Watson unearths the seamy history of Yampa Valley's early red-light districts and the people who called them home.

Cover image for The Yampa Valley Sin Circuit, isbn: 9781626191679

Lost Restaurants of Denver

9781626197152

$21.99

Sample the hearty helpings at the Hungry Dutchman and the dainty morsels at the Denver Dry Goods Tearoom to get a taste of a tradition rich with innovation, hard work, and crazy ideas. Waitresses, chefs, owners, and suppliers bring back the restaurants of yesteryear by sharing success stories and signature recipes. Just don't be surprised by sudden cravings for savory cannolis from Carbones, rich Mija Pie from Baur's, egg rolls at the Lotus Room, or chile rellenos at Casa Mayan.

Cover image for Lost Restaurants of Denver, isbn: 9781626197152

Ghosts of Fort Collins

9781609495190

$21.99

From reports of a figure in the old firehouse bell tower to whispered rumors of apparitions seen in basements and tunnels underneath the city, Fort Collins is filled with disturbing and unnatural occurrences. In Old Town, pictures fly off walls, ghostly noises ring out through passageways and specters pass through brick walls. Tour guide Lori Juszak and her team take readers on a trip through the Choice City's most chilling hauntings and legends. Meet the guest at the Antler's Hotel who never checks out and dance along to the unexplained music in the Museum of Art. Watch out for the ghost at the Armadillo Garage and beware the spirits of the underground morgue!

Cover image for Ghosts of Fort Collins, isbn: 9781609495190

Lucky to Live in Colorado

9780738527819

$16.99

What do you get when you cross a read-aloud storybook with a write-in memory book? Magic moments between kids and adults! The Lucky to Live in Colorado book is the perfect tool to jump-start meaningful conversations between generations. Read-aloud rhymes set up interesting topics. Then write-in prompts invite children to record their own views to create a personal Centennial State keepsake. The real gift lies in the interactive nature of the book as it offers the perfect opportunity for adults to share their own stories and wisdom about such issues as friendship, community, team spirit, and other topics that help develop a child's social and emotional skills. Customized Colorado content—from favorite local cuisine (rainbow trout) to interesting attractions (Rocky Mountain National Park)—provides an even more personalized experience.

Cover image for Lucky to Live in Colorado, isbn: 9780738527819

Haunted Breckenridge

9781626198302

$21.99

From the old gold mining towns of Summit County to today's skiing destinations in Breckenridge, eerie and true tales of life and loss in the Wild West abound. The spirit of mutilated miner William Goodwin is said to haunt Blue River, warning of the dangers lurking below. Some say that the ghost of the widow Sylvia, who died destitute and alone at a boarding house on Main Street, still haunts the building today. Coldblooded killer Dr. Condon took revenge on his stalker and killed the town's favorite barkeeper. Tour guide and author Gail Westwood explores the area's most haunted buildings and introduces the ghastly characters who seemingly never left.

Cover image for Haunted Breckenridge, isbn: 9781626198302

Notorious Telluride:

9781609490867

$21.99

While today's Telluride might bring to mind a hot tourist spot and upscale ski resort, the earliest days of the town and surrounding San Miguel County were marked by an abundance of gamblers, con men and murderers. From Bob Meldrum, a deputized killer who prowled the streets during times of labor unrest, to the author's own ancestor, Charlie Turner, a brash young man killed in a shooting in Ophir, Carol Turner's Notorious Telluride offers a glimpse at some of the sordid, shocking and sad pioneer tales of the area.

Notorious Telluride book cover with a vintage collage of people and decorative patterns.

Haunted Cripple Creek and Teller County

9781467139601

$21.99

An unbelievable account of ghosts, long-legged beasts, and things that go bump in the night in the historic Colorado mining town and its environs.

Home to the last gold rush in America, Teller County attracted a slew of peculiar characters--many never left.

A Victor Hotel regular named Eddie met his untimely death when he tumbled down the elevator shaft. A female apparition clad in Victorian clothing appears on the stairs of the Palace Hotel. A closed tunnel on Gold Camp Road is said to echo with the sounds of screaming children and lingering spirits are still prisoners at the old Teller County Jail.

Linda Wommack uncovers the eerie thrills and chills of Cripple Creek and Teller County.

Cover image for Haunted Cripple Creek and Teller County, isbn: 9781467139601

Highlands Ranch

9781467116145

$34.99

Highlands Ranch, part of Douglas County, is known as one of the fastest growing communities in the nation. Highlands Ranch grew from the Colorado plains through a series of settlements starting in 1859, with most homesteaders arriving in the 1880s. The homesteads were eventually unified into one grand ranch and mansion. The 1980s began the transformation from a ranch to a community when Mission Viejo started building a master planned community. Today, Shea Homes has almost completed the build out of the area. The people, businesses, and organizations of Highlands Ranch have come together to create an enjoyable community and lifestyle that around 100,000 people call home.

Cover image for Highlands Ranch, isbn: 9781467116145

La Plata County

9781467161091

$24.99

Established in 1874 as an agricultural lifeline, La Plata County, Colorado, has played many roles. /

European Americans were drawn to the region by the promise of mineral wealth and the mining industry. Agriculture, smelting, transportation, and commerce grew to offer support. As the county matured, its Old West features were discovered, and it was dubbed “Hollywood of the Rockies” when movies were filmed there from the 1940s to the 1960s with notable stars such as Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, Marilyn Monroe, Paul Newman, and Robert Redford. The 20th century brought energy extraction and commercial growth, but as the recreational opportunities in the region started to be discovered, La Plata County became a destination for outdoor pursuits. The county has 14,000-foot peaks, rivers, and hundreds of miles of hiking, biking, and ski trails. Today, tourism and recreation drive the economy much as the mining industry once did. /Within these pages, historical photographs from the archives of the La Plata County Historical Society illustrate the many facets of this Colorado county. Edward Anthony Horvat is a third-generation La Plata County native; his grandparents all came to the county between 1905 and 1911. A retired nurse-paramedic, Horvat volunteers at the historical society’s Animas Museum and writes the weekly And the West Is History feature in the Durango Herald newspaper.

Cover image for La Plata County, isbn: 9781467161091

Windsor

9780738576152

$24.99

Tucked alongside the meandering Cache la Poudre River, the community of Windsor sprouted as the ideal location connecting irrigation and railroads between two county seats. With easy access to water and transportation, eager settlers saw opportunities for commercial development while others sought a leisurely lakeside resort. Through slow and steady growth, Windsor has been a town in transition. Early on, it was an agricultural boomtown with one of the busiest factories of the Great Western Sugar Company and home to bustling downtown businesses and generations of immigrants. Later, it welcomed new industry with one of Eastman Kodak's largest manufacturing facilities in America. But through the ebb and flow of history, Windsor has stood as a steady and vibrant community.

Windsor Images of America book cover with a sepia construction site and workers on scaffolding

Frisco and the Ten Mile Canyon

9780738575490

$24.99

Frisco and the Ten Mile Canyon tells the story of the once-thriving railroad town that served as the gateway to the towns and mines of the Ten Mile Canyon. Beginning in 1879, mines produced silver, gold, and other minerals while experiencing the usual boom and bust cycles. With the slow, painful death of mining and the curtailing of rail service, Frisco and nearby towns suffered. While the towns in the canyon became memories, Frisco experienced a rebirth and revitalization when the recreational landscape and economy replaced that of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Frisco and the Ten Mile Canyon cover with a sepia photograph of children and a donkey in a western town

Fort Collins

9780738569871

$24.99

Photographer Mark Miller opened his studio in Fort Collins, Colorado, in 1914. The town he chose to live and work in sits in a river valley in northern Colorado, nestled between the Rocky Mountain foothills and the semiarid high plains, with Denver to the south and Cheyenne, Wyoming, to the north. Established as a Civil War–era army post, the town was a Wild West frontier outpost until it was tamed in the 1870s by the arrival of a land-grant college and the railroad. By the turn of the century, Fort Collins had become a quietly respectable college town with a thriving economy and steadily increasing population. Over almost six decades, as the small town evolved into a city, Miller photographed people, businesses, and landscapes. Fort Collins: The Miller Photographs offers a representative sampling of the over 70,000 Miller images, a collection housed at the Fort Collins Museum's Local History Archive.

Cover image for Fort Collins, isbn: 9780738569871

Around Nederland

9780738581491

$24.99

Nederland survived three boom-and-bust cycles involving three different minerals. During the silver boom, U.S. president Ulysses S. Grant visited Central City in 1873 and walked on silver bricks that had been mined in Caribou and milled in Nederland. The second boom followed the discovery of gold in Eldora in 1897 and lasted only a few years. The third boom was sparked by the discovery of tungsten by Sam Conger, the same man who made the original discovery of silver in Caribou. The Conger mine eventually became the greatest tungsten mine in the world. During World War I, Nederland's population swelled to 3,000--twice the size it is today--and another 2,000 were estimated to live nearby. In each boom, men came to mine, open stores, and transport goods and ore. They brought families with them, and many towns sprang up, including Caribou, Eldora, Lakewood, Tungsten, and Rollinsville. Some of these communities have survived, while others remain only in memories and photographs.

Around Nederland cover with a sepia photo of townspeople and a horse drawn carriage in a hilly landscape.

Early Craig

9780738599694

$24.99

Dreams of what the West could offer brought the earliest settlers into the Yampa Valley. After the Homestead Act of 1862 and the westward expansion of the railroad, the first trickle of land seekers arrived in this remote area in the mid-1870s. Interest in the vast coal lands was a main driver for investors seeking to develop the region. But the smaller yet more inherently valuable interests of family, farming, and agriculture were the real deciding factors in the settling of this vastly beautiful and challenging corner of Colorado. During those early years, the homesteaders in Craig managed to capture images of the area they had come to claim as their own. They photographed immense stretches of solitary land, quiet scenes of the family living room, and the optimism of the developing business districts. They left a photographic legacy that proves a picture is indeed worth a thousand words.

Early Craig cover featuring a sepia group portrait of a pioneer family on a picnic

Around Frederick

9781467130356

$24.99

In the 1880s, Frederick was nothing but prairieland, and its only inhabitants were prairie dogs, rabbits, coyotes, and snakes. Coal brought settlers to the area, and Frederick was incorporated in 1907 as a coalmining town. The mines needed workers, and immigrants arrived from across the globe to help fill this need for labor. Men and their families came from Italy, Russia, Turkey, Greece, Mexico, and the Slavic countries to make Frederick their home. While not considered a gold or silver boomtown, Frederick had its share of growing pains. Liquor and illegal gambling were constant sources of problems, and the town saw natural disasters such as persistent flooding as well. As its location on the Union Pacific Railroad helped the miners, farmers, and merchants build a strong community, the history of Frederick provides a classic example of growth and development on the eastern Colorado plains.

Cover for Around Frederick showing a sepia group photo of workers on a ship deck.

Chimney Rock National Monument

9781467131612

$24.99

The appreciation of the Chimney Rock region goes back more than 1,000 years. Here in southwestern Colorado, the Ancestral Puebloans inhabited the northern San Juan River Basin as an outlier community of Chaco Canyon. Its function and use has created much conjecture. The site was abandoned by the early 1100s for reasons that some speculate were related to drought, resource depletion, warfare, migration, or a combination of these factors. Over the course of its recorded history, archaeologists, astronomers, regional historians, and visitors have celebrated the rocks, ruins, and landscape that make up this important feature in the Four Corners region. It has been called La Piedra Parada by Spanish explorers, Fire Mountain by Tewa-speaking pueblos, and Tupiwiniri by the Utes. Today, we know it as Chimney Rock National Monument due to a proclamation made in 2012 by Pres. Barack Obama.

Cover image for Chimney Rock National Monument, isbn: 9781467131612

Historic Colorado Mansions & Castles

9781626197480

$24.99

The discovery of gold and silver in Colorado's Rocky Mountains minted millionaires by the ton. The rough settlements of miners and ranchers quickly transformed into habitations more suitable for the newly wealthy class. William Newton Byers founded the Centennial State's first newspaper and built an Italianate-style palace with the proceeds, while Walter Scott Cheesman's Capitol Hill home later became the governor's residence. Stroll into the parlors and drawing rooms of oligarchs like August A. Meyer, Lyman Robison and James Joseph Brown. Visit Romanesque castles cut from native lava and country retreats designed by the country's foremost architects. Linda Wommack offers a tour of the finest mansions in Colorado, all proudly bearing the mark of the State and National Registers of Historic Preservation.

Cover image for Historic Colorado Mansions & Castles, isbn: 9781626197480

A History of Leadville Theater

9781609497118

$21.99

When the West was wild, the glitziest streets in Colorado ran through Leadville, where opera, variety and burlesque lit up Magic City theaters. Theatrical legends Buffalo Bill and Oscar Wilde graced the Tabor Opera House, while revolutionary Susan B. Anthony reached a rough mining audience from a stage atop a bar. Thomas Kemp spared no expense on the risque Black Crook at the Grand Central Theater, complete with a grand waterfall, a trapdoor and dragons. Follow Leadville historian Gretchen Scanlon through these theatrical glory days, from the glamorous productions and stump speeches to the offstage theft and debauchery that kept the drama going even when the curtain fell.

Cover image for A History of Leadville Theater, isbn: 9781609497118

Johnstown

9780738581194

$24.99

The story of Johnstown did not begin with the founding of the town in 1902, nor did it end there. The story begins and ends with enterprising people. These people were determined to make a life for themselves despite all the hardships of living on the prairie of Colorado. These were the same people who were among the first Americans to go west. Trappers came for beaver pelts, and traders set up forts to trade for buffalo hides from the Arapaho. Gold miners whose claims went bust later settled in the Johnstown area. Cattlemen's herds found the prairie grass a natural food source, and they flourished. And, finally, the homesteaders claimed farmland that became rich and fertile with the use of irrigation. Johnstown is the story of people who established a new life in a new world.

Cover for Johnstown from Images of America with a vintage car parked on a town street in front of storefronts

Roxborough

9781467116367

$24.99

Paleo-Indians hunted Ice Age mammoths and ancestral bison in what is now Roxborough, Colorado. In 1820, Stephen A. Long's expedition traveled west across the plains into America's western frontier and camped along the South Platte River where water rushed into the Platte Valley from Rocky Mountain peaks. They discovered an area described by their geologist as a range of naked and almost perpendicular rocks . . . resembling a vast wall, parallel to the base of the mountain . . . the whole scenery truly picturesque and romantic. During the next 200 years, Roxborough has been home to Native Americans, mountain men, homesteaders, farmers, miners, dam builders, ranchers, railroad men, cowboys, and rocket scientists. Families live in sight of hogback formations, soaring red rocks, foothills, and mountains. Thousands arrive each year to hike trails in Roxborough State Park, Waterton Canyon, Colorado Trail, and Highline Canal. Roxborough's history, geologic wonders, and wilderness is a story of those whose eyes reached toward the stars.

Cover image for Roxborough, isbn: 9781467116367

Around Gunnison and Crested Butte

9780738548289

$24.99

The Western Slope towns of Gunnison and Crested Butte are defined by their placement in the Colorado Rockies. Both are located in alpine valleys surrounded by 14,000-foot-high peaks with sparkling mountain-fed streams, and both dominate the Gunnison country, a unique wilderness covering over 4,000 square miles. Beginning over 400 years ago, Native Americans, fur traders, explorers, miners, railroaders, and cattlemen all made a place for themselves in the area. Today Gunnison, Crested Butte, and the Gunnison country remain isolated and tranquil. Recreation, tourism, and cattle ranching now reign supreme as Gunnison and Crested Butte attempt to preserve their distinctly Western heritage.

Cover image for Around Gunnison and Crested Butte, isbn: 9780738548289

Early Denver

9780738588858

$24.99

The city of Denver was born out of a small mining camp established in the late 1850s. The lure of gold brought countless men and their families to the foot of the great Rocky Mountains, where the Platte River and Cherry Creek flow together. Along with the miners came the merchants--wagon makers, horse traders, blacksmiths, and clothiers. By 1900, Denver was a thriving community and had greatly expanded with the establishment of hardware stores, saloons, liveries, theaters, restaurants, and residential neighborhoods. Postcards did not come into general use until well after Denver was settled. The images herein range from about 1900 to 1925.

Book cover for Early Denver from the Postcard History Series featuring a sepia photo of a grand welcome arch

University of Denver

9781467128537

$23.99

The University of Denver (DU) was founded as the Colorado Seminary, in 1864, twelve years before Colorado became a state. For over 150 years, DU has been a part of the Denver community, providing educational opportunities for men, women, professionals, and the working community. The original campus in frontier Denver eventually moved to a treeless prairie donated by Rufus Potato Clark. The move was partially motivated by the fear that the saloons and other distractions of Denver were not conducive to study. In 1982, the institution incorporated Colorado Women's College, and the site became the Park Hill Campus with the law and music schools. DU's concerted efforts to provide its students, and the wider region, with a first-class education are made evident by the tales of resiliency told by faculty, staff, and students as the school overcame brushes with bankruptcy and countless other internal and external threats.

Cover image for University of Denver, isbn: 9781467128537

Colorado's Deadliest Floods

9781467137102

$21.99

Ranked among the top ten states for both disasters and dry climate, Colorado has a long history of extreme weather. On May 19, 1864, residents of the fledgling gold rush town of Denver awoke to a wall of water slamming into the city with enough force to flatten buildings and rip clothing from its victims. The infamous Big Thompson Canyon flood of 1976 killed 144 residents, tourists and campers. Per the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Coloradoans experienced twenty-two floods with contemporary monetary losses of $2 million or more since the flood of 1864. And as the population continues to grow, the loss of lives, property, crops and livestock may increase. Local author Darla Sue Dollman, who witnessed and survived many of the contemporary disasters, examines the state's most catastrophic flash floods from 1864 to 2013.

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Mines of Clear Creek County

9781467130349

$24.99

In 1859, Pikes Peak or bust! spread across America and brought men and their families from all over to the Kansas goldfields seeking a new beginning. Thousands came to Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties and eventually settled all of Colorado. The mining communities of Idaho Springs, Georgetown, Empire, Silver Plume, Dumont, and Lawson all exist because of the pursuit of gold and silver. Gold was initially easy to get to, but in time, underground mineral development was necessary. New technologies and the Industrial Revolution made mining easier, but there was still work to be done to establish local fire departments, churches, schools, and governments.

Cover image for Mines of Clear Creek County, isbn: 9781467130349

The Ghostly Tales of Colorado's Front Range

9781467198301

$12.99

Welcome to the spooky streets of Colorado’s Front Range! Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. Did you know that in an old courthouse, a ghostly little boy loves to leave handprints— on the ceiling? Or that the old mining tunnels beneath many towns are haunted? Can you believe that two disembodied heads float through the Capitol building in Denver? Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Colorado’s Front Range, and have you sleeping with the light on!

Cover image for The Ghostly Tales of Colorado's Front Range, isbn: 9781467198301

North Fork Valley

9780738595849

$24.99

Settlers came to the North Fork Valley after the Ute Indians departed from the area in September 1881. The fertile valley was surrounded by rugged mountains to the east, the majestic Grand Mesa to the north, the bleak "dobie" desert, and the meandering North Fork River. Arriving with just enough provisions to get by, the new settlers brought fruit trees, developed their water sources, and discovered coal, and soon, the arrival of the train made the possibilities of the valley a reality. Working together, the settlers founded the main communities of Hotchkiss, Paonia, and Crawford. Today, coal is the number one industry, wineries are abundant, artists love to display their talents, and it is a great place to live.

Cover of North Fork Valley from Images of America featuring a sepia market scene with farmers and crates.

Forgotten Heroes & Villains of Sand Creek

9781596299436

$21.99

On November 29, 1864, Colonel John Chivington led a bloody and terrible raid on an encampment of Arapahos and Cheyennes who had come to the area believing they were on a path to peace. Before it was over, between 130 and 180 Native Americans had been massacred. This attack, known as the Sand Creek Massacre, is one of the most well-known and notorious events in Colorado's history. In Forgotten Heroes and Villains of Sand Creek, author Carol Turner turns an eye to the central characters, their histories and how they came to be part of this bloody episode. This fascinating look at such a pivotal event, its instigators and its martyrs includes the stories of John Chivington, an ambitious preacher with a streak of cruelty; Captain Silas Soule, a man who is still honored today by the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes for his efforts in saving their ancestors; Ned Wynkoop, one of Soule's compatriots who had a change of heart regarding the tribes; Chief One Eye, a persuasive and charismatic medicine man; and many, many more.

Cover image for Forgotten Heroes & Villains of Sand Creek, isbn: 9781596299436

Lost Ski Areas of Colorado's Front Range and Northern Mountains

9781626197121

$23.99

Avid skiers have flocked to the northern reaches of the Centennial State for over a century. While the prized powder remains the same, the top skiing destinations bear only a faint resemblance to the resorts of previous generations. Neighborhood slopes, such as Tabernash Hill, featured little more than a rope tow and a storage shed. Other spots like Estes Park's Old Man Mountain held tournaments and contests with Olympic participants. From the Cathy Cisar Winter Playground in Craig to Cheyenne Mountain's Ski Broadmoor and everywhere in between, join authors Caryn and Peter Boddie on a tour through the lost ski areas of northern Colorado and the Front Range.

Cover image for Lost Ski Areas of Colorado's Front Range and Northern Mountains, isbn: 9781626197121

Colorado Legends & Lore

9781626194816

$21.99

Colorado is steeped in stories as unique as the people who settled it. Each wave of exploration and settlement brought new tales to explain the mysteries of this incomparable place. With extreme weather and breathtaking landscapes, it seems only natural that Colorado could play host to UFOs, stripper lightning and the Fountain of Love. From creation myths and rumored Aztec treasure to snow snakes and drunken house flies, professional yarn-spinner Stephanie Waters turns an eye to the ancient lore of the Centennial State.

Cover image for Colorado Legends & Lore, isbn: 9781626194816

Haunted Hotels of Northern Colorado

9781626199330

$21.99

The haunted hotels of northern Colorado offer chance encounters with wispy apparitions from a fabulous century gone by. The Earl of Dunraven prowls in the night at the Stanley Hotel. Melancholy Carl haunts the halls of the Brook Forest Inn, and Eleanor James tosses pots and pans about at the Elkhorn Lodge. A little boy, tragically drowned, leaves watery footprints in the Hotel Jerome. Book a stay with author Nancy Williams as she explores Colorado's iconic hotels where spirits aren't confined to the bar.

Cover image for Haunted Hotels of Northern Colorado, isbn: 9781626199330

The Denver Folk Music Tradition

9781609495329

$21.99

In 1962, Harry Tuft founded the Denver Folklore Center to bring together contemporary folk music fans and performers such as Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Judy Collins and so many more. In the following decade, a core of folk enthusiasts established the Swallow Hill Music Association. These two organizations have persevered to sustain a lasting folk legacy in the Mile High City. This is the story of how the music and the people who love and live it shaped a unique, influential tradition. Join local historian and musician Paul Malkoski on a tour through more than fifty years of Denver's proud folk music scene.

Cover image for The Denver Folk Music Tradition, isbn: 9781609495329

Grand Junction's JUCO World Series

9780738532202

$24.99

Grand Junction accepted a formidable challenge in hosting the fledgling national junior college baseball tournament in 1959. Nearly half a century later, the JUCO World Series and the city of Grand Junction are inextricably linked in one of the country's longest running baseball tournaments. Dedicated leaders and a supportive community have allowed young stars Kirby Puckett, Curt Schilling, David Wells, Eric Gagne, and many others to enjoy this gem of an event on Colorado's Western Slope. Grand Junction's JUCO World Series chronicles the tourney's humble beginnings and lets the reader discover this American tradition that combines local pride with high quality baseball.

Grand Junctions JUCO World Series book cover with vintage baseball photos and a blue backdrop

Notorious Jefferson County

9781596299542

$21.99

Before the Colorado Territory, this land was Jefferson Territory. Made up mostly of ranching and farming communities, early Jefferson County was the kind of place where only the stouthearted and downright crazy could survive. And with any settlement comes violence. It's true that Hollywood has embellished the history of the Wild West, but that doesn't mean it wasn't truly wild. From the "psychic" Italian mother who lured an elderly woman to her death to the violent end of the McQueary-Shaffer feud in the upper Platte region, local historian Carol Turner's Notorious Jefferson County offers readers a peek into some of the area's most famous and infamous murder cases of the frontier era.

Cover image for Notorious Jefferson County, isbn: 9781596299542

Montrose

9781467116374

$24.99

The narrow-gauge Denver & Rio Grande (D&RG) Railroad, the first rail system to challenge and successfully conquer Colorado's Rocky Mountains, arrived in the Uncompahgre (un-cum-PAH-gray) Valley on the state's western slope in 1882. Montrose was established to supply mines in the mineral-rich San Juan Mountains and provide a freight transfer depot and a shipping point for gold and silver ore. The US government had forced the Ute Indians off their traditional lands the previous year and opened the area to settlement. Land was quickly claimed and cleared as the booming mining districts created a ready market for all agricultural produce. By the 1893 repeal of the Sherman Silver Act and the US economic decline, Montrose was well established, but continued growth revealed a serious need for supplemental water. Selected as an inaugural project by the newly created US Bureau of Reclamation, the resulting Gunnison Tunnel has provided water since 1909.

Cover image for Montrose, isbn: 9781467116374

Summit County

9780738548463

$24.99

In 1859, a group of men from Denver crossed the Continental Divide with the hope of finding gold in the Blue River Valley. Their initial success changed the landscape as towns blossomed across the countryside, and ranches, which provided much needed food, were established along the lower part of the valley. The arrival of the railroads in 1882 facilitated the movement of people and goods in and out of the area. The railroads also made mining operations much more profitable and diminished the isolation of the county's residents. Women and children began arriving in greater numbers in the 1880s, bringing with them the refinements of the Victorian era. The influx of families spurred the establishment of churches, libraries, social clubs, and hospitals and, at the same time, discouraged gambling, drinking, and prostitution.

Summit County book cover in sepia tones with miners posing beside a wagon in a historic county scene.

Boulder

9781596299740

$21.99

Journey with Silvia Pettem through Boulder's history in Boulder: A Sense of Time & Place Revisited. Watch the evolution from a frontier mining town to the "Athens of the West." Learn of murder and bootleggers in the 1920s, survive the Great Depression and follow Boulder's postwar growing pains as the city matures and residents reflect on its past. Each article is a story in itself but only a small piece of what makes Boulder the city it is today.

Cover image for Boulder, isbn: 9781596299740

Wicked Old Colorado City

9781467158923

$24.99

Ferocity and Revelry on the Frontier

When Colorado Springs was founded next to the former territorial capital of Colorado City in 1871, the new town hoped that the old town would be absorbed or go away altogether. Yet Colorado City had survived since 1859 by offering what Colorado Springs would not: liquor, gambling, and wild women. Prairie Dog O’Byrne, Dusty McCarty, Laura Bell McDaniel, and a host of others added much color to more than two dozen saloons and a sizeable red-light district, while the enclave of Ramona was founded specifically for drinking and prizefights. Author Jan MacKell Collins recounts the personalities and persuasions that contributed to making Old Colorado City a raucous, albeit important, part of history in the American West.

Cover image for Wicked Old Colorado City, isbn: 9781467158923

Ski Patrol in Colorado

9781467102612

$7.99

These mailable vintage-photograph postcards celebrate Colorado's ski patrol, which has grown from a volunteer operation to a professional workforce—incorporating advancements in lifesaving techniques, avalanche forecasting, and specialized guest services. The Army's 10th Mountain Division, developed during World War II for combat missions in the mountains of northern Italy, evolved into ski patrols as we know them today. Far-reaching and nuanced, the job of a ski patroller combines long days, physically demanding work in high alpine environments, and the ability to respond to complex medical emergencies.

Cover image for Ski Patrol in Colorado, isbn: 9781467102612

United States Air Force Academy

9781467161435

$24.99

The United States Air Force Academy became the fifth US Federal Service Academy on April 1, 1954, a mere six and a half years after the Air Force became an independent service branch. The Air Force Academy has distinguished itself from other institutions of higher education not only by its iconic modern architecture and dedication to technological advancement, but also through its rigorous and innovative academy and military training programs. Air Force Academy cadets have a unique college experience-guided by core values and bound by an honor code-and upon graduation, they are commissioned into the US military. Over the last 70 years, the academy has built a tradition of excellence and honored its mission: to educate, train, and inspire leaders of character ready to serve the nation in the Air and Space Forces.

Author Amanda K. Hess has spent the last 10 years immersed in the history and heritage of the United States Air Force Academy. With the support of the Friends of the Air Force Academy Library, she has curated this book from the extensive photographic collection located in the Clark Special Collections Branch of the Air Force Academy McDermott Library.

Cover image for United States Air Force Academy, isbn: 9781467161435

Manitou Springs

9780738595962

$24.99

Manitou Springs was founded in 1871 as a picturesque health resort nestled at the foot of Pikes Peak. The town grew as a tourist destination and adapted to the needs of thousands of visitors. Today, Manitou Springs is an eclectic mix of bedroom community and travelers' retreat, and examples from many architectural eras coexist in its scenic mountain valley.

Cover image for Manitou Springs, isbn: 9780738595962

Fort Collins

9780738581248

$24.99

From a frontier town of the 1870s to a thriving city, Fort Collins, Colorado, has grown and evolved, losing some of its rich architectural heritage but preserving the distinctive beauty of its Old Town area.

Fort Collins Then and Now cover showing a red brick storefront and a historic street scene.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison, The

9780738570310

$7.99

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison boasts a rich history.

Sepia postcard cover showing The Black Canyon of the Gunnison with railway tracks along a canyon and a bridge

Early Eagle

9780738580869

$24.99

Nestled into a scenic mountain valley at the junction of the Eagle River and Brush Creek, Eagle is a small mountain town that is often overshadowed by its famous ski resort neighbor, Vail. However, this thriving little mountain community claims a rich history of more than 100 years of spunk and fortitude. Eagle's robust character started with the miners who came to the valley in the 1880s seeking gold and silver. Then came the farmers and ranchers, who recognized another type of wealth in the fertile soils and abundant water of the valley. As for that spunk, the townspeople of Eagle were tenacious enough to wage a 20-year war seeking county seat status and progressive enough to keep a small town growing and thriving for over a century.

Cover image for Early Eagle, isbn: 9780738580869

Around the Spanish Peaks

9780738576244

$24.99

Rising up to 13,623 feet above the plains, the twin Spanish Peaks in southern Colorado have been a beacon to travelers for centuries. Native Americans from the Comanche and Ute tribes pitched their teepees in the lush river valleys around the mountains. Spanish explorers from Mexico followed legends of gold here. Migrants on the Santa Fe Trail sighted the peaks at the end of their long trek across the Great Plains. Coal mining and railroads brought a new wave of settlers to the region in the 1870s. Today, visitors head to Walsenburg, La Veta, and Cuchara to enjoy the incredible mountain scenery and year-round recreational activities.

Cover image for Around the Spanish Peaks, isbn: 9780738576244

Hayden

9780738580210

$24.99

The Hayden area's first settlers, who arrived around 1875, were certain that their hamlet would become the hub of Northwest Colorado. The first regional trading post, Routt County Courthouse, and U.S. post office were established here on the banks of the Yampa River. Nestled in the Yampa's wide, verdant, high-country valley at 6,300 vertical feet, the energetic little town's future was peopled by an assortment of penniless yet hopeful dreamers as well as enterprising ranchers and other businessmen. Ezekiel Shelton brought his family and a myriad of skills. Jim Norvell drifted in on foot and with a few dollars established a mercantile and saloon and later, after finding religion, a church. While the towns of Craig to the west and Steamboat Springs to the east grew, Hayden retained its familial descendants—stayers—enamored of their corner of the beautiful Rocky Mountains and sheltered from most severe weather in the Yampa Valley.

Cover image for Hayden, isbn: 9780738580210

Denver's Washington Park

9781467130745

$24.99

In the Rocky Mountain West, Denver is considered the big city. Yet its urban core consists of numerous neighborhoods developed in the late 19th century that act today as virtual small towns. South-central Denver's Washington Park is one of those small towns, and its name refers both to a 166-acre historic park and to the surrounding blend of residential and commercial neighborhoods. Cited as a model for new urbanism, this area serves as an enduring example of the City Beautiful movement. Touted in the late 19th century for its rapid transit, clean air, and pure water, the area once known as Broadway Terrace, Myrtle Hill, and the Miracle Mile of South Denver continues to serve as a recreational mecca for Denverites. Over a span of 100 years, it has transformed from prairie to potato fields to posh.

Cover image for Denver's Washington Park, isbn: 9781467130745

Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp

9781625859273

$21.99

In 1914, Charlotte Perry and Portia Mansfield envisioned a secluded institution nestled in the mountains, where art and nature could intersect. By the 1920s, their remote Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp in Steamboat Springs was serving as a hub for top dancers such as José Limon and Harriette Ann Gray to hone their craft. In addition to training thousands of pointed toes and arched feet, the school showcased equestrian jumping and performed plays by masters, including Shakespeare, García Lorca and Tennessee Williams. The theater program eventually attracted budding actors like Julie Harris, Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Biel. Author Dagny McKinley presents the story of America's longest continuously running performing arts camp.

Cover image for Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp, isbn: 9781625859273

Legendary Locals of Arvada

9781467101295

$24.99

Unique characters have always made up the landscape of Arvada. Pioneers, ranchers and farmers, business leaders, community-minded individuals, doctors, sports figures, and even a Broadway star have all called home the city on a bluff overlooking Clear Creek. Benjamin Wadsworth was not only one of Arvada's founding fathers but also the town's first postmaster, and he donated many parcels of land for schools and churches to be built in the burgeoning town. Lloyd King, in 1947, opened the first King Soopers grocery store in Arvada. From this one small market grew an empire of more than 100 King Soopers stores in Colorado. Popular radio personality Irv Brown is known as "Denver's go-to guy" for sports talk. Brown coached at Arvada High School during the 1960s, leading the Redskins to 10 conference football titles and one state championship. And two-time Cy Young Award-winner Roy Halladay honed his baseball skills in Arvada as a youth. The starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies graduated from Arvada West High School in 1995. From Louis Ralston's discovery of gold in 1850 along the creek that bears his name, to the present day sprawling suburb, Arvada's people have helped make the town a jewel of the Centennial State.

Cover for Legendary Locals of Arvada showing a collage of black and white photos on a tan background

Around Monarch Pass

9780738580708

$24.99

Monarch Country is an incredibly beautiful mountain region spanning both sides of the Continental Divide in the southern portions of Chaffee and Gunnison Counties in the Rocky Mountains of south-central Colorado. Monarch Pass, at 11,312 feet above sea level, divides the Gunnison Country in the west from the Arkansas River watershed in the east. This scenic, wild, and rugged region surrounding the crossroads of U.S. Routes 50 and 285 is rich in mining, railroad, and skiing history and once included booming mining camps such as Maysville, Garfield, Monarch, and White Pine. The crown jewel of this spectacular high-country landscape is the Monarch Ski Area, which enjoys 350 to 500 inches of snowfall every year.

Around Monarch Pass cover with a lone car on a snowy mountain road surrounded by evergreen trees

Commerce City

9780738580203

$24.99

Among Colorado's fastest growing cities in the 21st century, Commerce City was settled in the 1850s, located today 8 miles northeast of Denver's capitol building. Known for hog farms, truck farms, and dairies, as well as refineries and grain elevators, Commerce City was, during World War II, the site of the enormous Rocky Mountain Arsenal, a U.S. Army weapons manufacturing facility. Incorporated in 1952 as Commerce Town, the name was changed to Commerce City in 1962, which adopted home rule in 1970. Commerce City is regionally famous and nationally recognized for parks and recreation, Buffalo Run Golf Course, Mile High Kennel Club (dog racing), and nearby Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The new Commerce City Civic Center and Dick's Sporting Goods Park, which is home to pro soccer's Colorado Rapids, were completed in 2007. Commerce City remains a speedily changing municipality with a diverse cultural mix and generations of residents with strong community roots.

Cover of Commerce City featuring factory workers at an assembly line

Denver Beer

9781467139649

$21.99

Brewed in 1859 near what is now the heart of downtown, Denver's first beer quenched the thirst of fortune hunters following the gold rush. It lubricated the city's transformation from Wild West town to the Queen City of the Plains until Prohibition brought a sudden end to the brewing culture. By 1979, only the famed Coors brewery remained. But then something frothy happened. Brian Dunn, John Hickenlooper and many others began satiating locals with liquid gold. The craft beer movement blossomed. Now well over seventy breweries strong, it is filled with the same pioneering spirit and irrepressible optimism that the miners embodied. Journalist and author Jonathan Shikes captures the Mile High City's sudsy stories from then until now.

Denver Beer book cover showing a Denver skyline and a glass of beer.

Fruita

9780738581729

$24.99

William Pabor arrived in Western Colorado before the advent of irrigation, and the land presented a barren and desolate sight. But he saw something entirely different. "In the spring of 1884, lying on the bare floor of a log cabin on the site of what is now the town of Fruita, I watched the moonbeams play on the Roan Cliffs and across Pinon Mesa," Pabor wrote. "The silence of centuries seemed resting upon the plain. . . . But visions of the possibilities of the future swept before me. I saw homes founded, I saw family circles gathered together. I saw vineyards and orchards, and rose-embowered cottages in which love and happiness and contentment abode. . . . I heard the merry voices of children yet to be born. I heard the singing of harvesters bringing in the sheaves of golden grain." Pabor soon turned vision into reality and founded the town of Fruita.

Vintage Fruita book cover showing a horsemen parade down a dusty street with a small dog

Prisons of Cañon City

9780738548456

$24.99

Cañon City sits in a geological bowl surrounded by the Rocky Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Historically, it has been known as the prison capital of the world, with eight-- soon to be nine--state prisons in the area and four federal facilities located 11 miles away in Florence. The first prison in Cañon City was built in 1868, before Colorado became a state, and was opened in 1871. Originally known as the Colorado Territorial Penitentiary, it is currently called the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility and holds approximately 800 male inmates. Cañon City has grown up around the prisons, and the area's colorful history is defined by daring prison breaks, infamous inmates, such as the Colorado cannibal Alferd Packard, and by the stories of the inmates and employees who have been part of the prison system.

Cover image for Prisons of Cañon City, isbn: 9780738548456

Haunted Creede

9781467144551

$21.99

Travel back in time with the spirits of the San Juans.

Brave men and women came to seek their fortunes in the rough-and-tumble boomtown of Creede. Miners, merchants, dance hall girls, gunslingers and gamblers still haunt its streets and halls. How many ghosts are thought to haunt the historic Creede Hotel? How did the baddest man in camp meet his untimely end, and what do the old-timers say is buried under the floorboards at Freemon’s Ranch? What happened the night an actress from the Creede Repertory Theatre summoned a ghost to join her on stage?

Author Kandra Payne matches fascinating historic details with spine-tingling tales to find out what made the Creede Camp one of the wildest and spookiest boomtowns in the West.

Haunted Creede poster showing a colossal moon over a wooden house

Northglenn

9780738596754

$24.99

On June 30, 1959, over 15,000 people came to view Perl-Mack Enterprises' five show homes built at the corner of 104th Avenue and Grant Drive. Named "the most perfectly planned community in America" by Life magazine, the developers named this new community North Glenn and built it into a community designed with designated industrial, commercial, recreational, and school areas around a central, regional shopping center--the Northglenn Mall. Facing annexation from surrounding cities, concerned residents formed the North Glenn Civic Association and encouraged residents to go to the polls in April 1969 to vote for incorporation. The name was changed to the City of Northglenn, and it went on to be a vital city, winning awards for revitalizing the largest park in its extensive park system, E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park with Webster Lake, as well as being named Tree City, USA, and Playful City, USA, several years in a row.

Northglenn cover showing a groundbreaking with suited men and shovels at a construction site in sepia.

Aurora

9780738548241

$24.99

Aurora began as the town of Fletcher, named after the Denver businessman who had staked out the original four square miles for resale along with associates Samuel and Francis Perry. In 1907, burdened with debt from their founder and seeking a fresh start, the inhabitants of Fletcher petitioned to have the town renamed, and in April, it was officially dubbed the Town of Aurora. These first settlers overcame many obstacles on the bare, dry land that Maj. Stephen Long, an early explorer, called "the Great American Desert." The outbreak of World War I brought revenue to the area's farmers as food prices soared, and Fitzsimons Army Hospital was established in 1918. Over the years, the scarcity of water has been a persistent problem, but Aurora has nonetheless grown from a quiet farming community to a sprawling city covering over 144 square miles.

Aurora Images of America cover showing a historic street scene with a vintage car and storefronts in sepia tones

Hidden History of the Upper Rio Grande

9781467137171

$21.99

Home to long-forgotten mining towns, defunct fisheries and neglected cabins, the turbulent headwaters of the Upper Rio Grande conceal a largely unknown history. Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys brought their legendary Texas swing to Crooked Creek Canyon's S Lazy U barn dance, while a comedy of errors unfolded around the ranch's secret still. Obstetrician Dr. MaryAnn Faunce, the daughter of an abolitionist and suffragette, made house calls as a real-life Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Rough-and-tumble miners drawn to Creede's silver boom found accommodations ranging from the primitive to the opulent, though none as enduring as the Creede Hotel. Upper Rio Grande native Carol Ann Wetherill and author Sandra Wagner preserve and celebrate the pioneering spirit that defined the early days in this obscure corner of southern Colorado.

Cover image for Hidden History of the Upper Rio Grande, isbn: 9781467137171

Denver's City Park and Whittier Neighborhoods

9780738571911

$24.99

Denver was barely 10 years old in 1868 when visionary pioneers such as Alfred B. Case and Jacob W. Downing began amassing real estate holdings far from downtown, speculation that paid off when the newly arrived railroad led to a population explosion. With the opening of the Whittier School in 1883--the largest elementary school in the city--a domain for prairie dogs evolved into a middle-class haven of fine Victorian homes. Buffalo Bill Cody's sister even called the Whittier neighborhood home. The convenience and reliability of an expanding streetcar system brought the lifeblood of the city into the neighborhood. Whittier and its residents were also blessed with the establishment of a large, 320-acre park just to the east. This park, transformed from native prairie to irrigated forest, became one of the biggest attractions in Denver--City Park.

Denver's City Park and Whittier Neighborhoods book cover with a vintage photo of boys on a dirt basketball court

Denver Food

9781467137355

$23.99

Allured by the gold rush, waves of German, Japanese, Chinese and Italian immigrants brought their culinary proclivities to the American West. The early sophistication of saloons followed, and Denver's gastronomic landscape experienced a tremendous culinary evolution spanning sixteen decades. Dating back to the late 1800s, My Brother's Bar doesn't have a sign and doesn't need one, serving up history along with delicious hamburgers. Established in 1985, nonprofit Denver Urban Gardens operates more than 155 community gardens across the metropolitan region. Ahead of the curve, Chef Ryan Leinonen set the city on fire with the New Nordic trend more than a decade ago when he opened Trillium Restaurant. With these stories and more, author Simone FM Spinner follows the journey from dreams of gold to fine dining, and Denver has never been more delicious.

Cover image for Denver Food, isbn: 9781467137355

Along the Huerfano River

9781467117005

$24.99

Long before English speakers set eyes upon it, the volcanic plug on the south bank of the Huerfano River was tagged with a moniker that means the orphan. Spanish conquistadors saw it as a rock pile that God dumped in the middle of nowhere, an odd little cone far removed from the regular foothills edging the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range. In the 18th century, this outcropping and the river that bears the same name were famous landmarks for Native American tribes, Hispanic explorers, and French adventurers. Then in the 19th century, along came US mountain men, gold-seekers, cowboys, sheep ranchers, railroad workers, town developers, and coal miners from 31 different countries, speaking 27 different languages. Counterculture revolutionaries discovered the area in the 1960s and established five separate communes west of Walsenburg. Each wave of immigrants brought new perspectives and lifestyles.

Cover image for Along the Huerfano River, isbn: 9781467117005

Lakewood

9781467133982

$24.99

Although settled in the mid-1860s, Lakewood waited to incorporate until 1969, when its population was 90,000. It was instantly the third largest city in Colorado and had it all. Lakewood even had progressive ideas for government from a nonmilitarized police department to incorporation of the patchwork of existing sewer, water, fire protection, and park districts. And if it did not exist, Lakewood's community-minded citizens created organizations, committees, and associations, like the historical society and Lakewood on Parade, to fill the need. This can-do entrepreneurial spirit makes Lakewood a livable, small-town, All-America city.

Lakewood placeholder cover with a gray gradient and the words cover coming soon

Legendary Locals of Fort Collins

9781467100618

$24.99

Fort Collins began as a small Army outpost and grew into a community of more than 150,000, a city formed and developed by those who have chosen and today choose to live here. In this book, readers will encounter hardy pioneers who endured hardships almost unimaginable today and innovators who brought industry, commerce, and a college; generous people, businesses, and institutions who have freely given back to the community in a variety of ways; participants in Fort Collins's thriving cultural life embracing a spectrum of interests and enthusiasms; and ordinary people living everyday lives who have done extraordinary things or had remarkable experiences. This book honors individuals such as Dr. Temple Grandin, world-renowned expert on handling cattle and spokesperson for autistic people, and Tom Sutherland, freed from captivity in Iran after seven years, along with many other memorable people.

Book cover for Legendary Locals of Fort Collins with a grid of historic black and white portraits on a beige background.

Yampa Valley's Lost Egeria Park

9781467143998

$23.99

Called the "Last Frontier," the "Land of the Last Pioneers" and the "Place that Time Forgot," Routt County was among the last places settled in the continental United States. Between 1820 and 1845, notable people such as Kit Carson, Jim Baker and Jim Bridger were all known to visit the Yampa Valley. But it wasn't until the removal of the Utes in 1881 that Egeria Park flourished. Stagecoaches, railroads, cattle, grain and sawmills followed. And despite the remote location, it grew into an agricultural and economic hub, the exact boundaries of which are still contested. Alas, Egeria Park dissolved with time. Author Rita Herold uncovers sketches of lost heroes, scoundrels and everyday characters who made history here.

Cover of Yampa Valley's Lost Egeria Park showing three men in a field beneath large title text.

Hidden History of Routt County

9781467143981

$21.99

Hidden History Routt County uncover a rugged heritage.

Settling Routt County was never easy or safe. Fugitives used the undeveloped landscape as an “outlaw trail” to evade authorities. The inexorable Harry Tracy managed three jailbreaks before being killed by a posse. Conversely, many of the first families left entrepreneurial legacies. Widowed Alice Bartz sold the family homestead to start the Bartz Hotel in her Steamboat Springs’ bakery and house, serving three meals a day to locals and guests. Others families, like the Nays and the Laughlins, were able to cut hay and raise enough livestock to pass the land down to future generations.

Native author Rita Herold preserves oral histories and nearly forgotten episodes of the county’s past.

Cover image for Hidden History of Routt County, isbn: 9781467143981

Basalt

9781467130462

$24.99

Once the site of a Ute Indian settlement, Basalt began life as several sleepy little hamlets. From the original Frying Pan Junction and later Aspen Junction, the town of Basalt is comprised of five areas. In the early 20th century, located midway between Aspen and Glenwood Springs, Basalt became the heart of the valley's mining, ranching, and farming operations as pioneering families homesteaded the land. Many hoped to build their fortunes along the tracks of the Denver & Rio Grande Western and Colorado Midland Railroads, whose rail lines merged in the center of today's downtown area. As the silver-mining era passed into history and the railroad operations ceased, so did the fortunes of early Basalt. Today's Basalt is a vibrant and vital residential and commercial community located on the confluence of two world-class Gold Medal fishing rivers.

Basalt book cover with a large steam locomotive and workers posing around an old factory in sepia.

A Haunted History of Denver's Croke-Patterson Mansion

9781609493127

$21.99

An ominous air hangs about Capitol Hill's historic Croke-Patterson Mansion. Rumors of spirits and strange events have cast a shadow across its elegant Gilded Age facade. The lonely halls are haunted with stories of a doctor's wife who committed suicide and the ghostly figure of a young woman who appears to visitors. Tenants of the building have also claimed to hear the cries of children, and dark specters in the basement prevent even the heartiest souls from staying for too long. Join authors Ann Alexander Leggett and Jordan Alexander Leggett as they try to unravel the mysteries that have plagued this Denver mansion for over a century.