Books books and more books (Denver, Boulder: attorneys, home, buy)

[jim9251]

Since I am new to this area and want to learn as much about its history as I can, a good town citizen brought me some books...

Exploring the Historic San Juan Triangle, Red Twilight the last free days of the Ute Indians, The Arbuckle Cafe, Over My Dead Body the story of Hillside Cemetary, Doc Susie, Lies Legends and Lore of the San Juans, I Never Knew That About Colorado, MOUNTAIN MYSTERIES:The Ouray Odyssey, and Jeep Trails to Colorado Ghost Towns.

I read Exploring the Historic San Juan Triangle last night. Fascinating book about the early history of Ouray, Silverton, Telluride, and this area. Amazes me that settlers, ok greedy white men searching for gold, walked over the passes here. The boom and decline of Silverton, the Telluride miner strikes, and Ouray growing into a tourist destination. Amazing reading.

[brightdoglover]

Where can you buy books about the local area and/or by local authors? Cimarron Books had some books. The first book I ever bought was in a local shop in Gunnison about "Famous Madams of the West."
To the OP, I suggest Peter Decker's books (yes, Decker of the Decker property and buildings, although he no longer lives in the area).

[Happy in Wyoming]

One of the the best books I've ever read, regardless of subject, is Jerome Smiley's History Of Denver published in 1901. Beginning with an overview of geology and paleontology, the author then addresses the various Indian tribes and the early history of what is now Colorado. The detailed history begins in the fall of 1858 with the arrival of the first gold seekers from Georgia.

The descripton of the miners' courts is fascinating. The accused was entitled to counsel. His attorney as well as the prosecutor and judge would be attorneys themselvers who had moved to the region. If a prisoner received a death sentence the entire assemblage was required to confirm it. There were only three penalties: flogging, banishment, and death. There were small jails but no prisons.

The gold discoveries in what would become Gilpin, Boulder, and Clear Creek Counties are treated fully. Denver's quest for a railroad and so many other topics give the reader the same perspective as someone alive at the time.

Smiley covers so much in great detail. Most of his history involved only the forty years previous. The records and the people themselves were available.

There's a vast amount of information on Colorado, particularly the mines and the railroads, but this is the single most most important book. It's the book that the others quote. The reader may need to do a bit of digging to find it, but it is frequently available.

I consider this to be one of the most important books that I own.

[jazzlover]

jim9251 missed "Stampede to Timberline," written by Muriel Wolle in 1949. It documents many of the old mining camps and ghost towns in Colorado. When one reads it, one can get a pretty good feel for what Colorado was like before modern development came along. Sadly, most of the ghost towns that were fairly well preserved in 1949 are gone without trace now. Heck, even a lot of ghost towns that were pretty well-preserved when I was a kid back in the 1960's are gone almost without trace.

[jim9251]

Gosh, my post from FIVE years ago resurrected. Absolutely not interested in anything Denver, so I won't be reading that book. I'll try to find Stampede to Timberline. Love the history of my area. Interestingly I spent an entire day last summer talking to a fellow from Telluride, his home town. He lives in Montrose now, but was born and grew up in Telluride and I got quite the history lesson. He's 90 by the way. Yes, quite the history lesson.

[randomparent]

Originally Posted by jim9251

Gosh, my post from FIVE years ago resurrected. Absolutely not interested in anything Denver, so I won't be reading that book. I'll try to find Stampede to Timberline. Love the history of my area. Interestingly I spent an entire day last summer talking to a fellow from Telluride, his home town. He lives in Montrose now, but was born and grew up in Telluride and I got quite the history lesson. He's 90 by the way. Yes, quite the history lesson.

Others who happen upon this thread just might be, so let's allow a little latitude since your post is in the general state forum. Thank you, Happy, for the suggestion. As a resident of Denver, I am interested in all things Colorado, far and near.