Eagle Valley Library District

Alfred Borah Journals
A collection of journals written by Alfred Borah. Born in 1845, Borah was an early settler to the Brush Creek Valley. He was a rancher and would sometimes lead hunting and fishing parties with his brother, Jake Borah. The years covered in the journals are from 1870 to 1914. Also included is a small summary of events written by Borah's daughter, Mittie Alda Borah.
Eagle County Cemetery Surveys
Several genealogists in the Eagle County area have assisted the library and Eagle County Historical Society in compiling crucial genealogy and family history records, including cemetery surveys, photographs, and locations. Obituaries and more information have been added when available.
Eagle Valley Manuscripts
Browse letters, documents, stories, certificates, just about anything on paper in this collection-- all from Eagle County and the surrounding areas of the Western Slope of Colorado.
Eagle Valley Maps
Most maps here aren't from the Forest or Park Service-- they're from the minds and work of Eagle County residents, public servants, and researchers. Ask a librarian about more maps to discover at the Eagle library.
Eagle Valley Yearbooks
Who knew yearbooks were a useful historical artifact? Scroll through to select and flip through an entire yearbook or take a shortcut and use the "Search the Collection" below to find a specific person.
Explore the Eagle Valley by Town
House Surveys
Inside "The Holy Cross Trail"
Holy Cross Trail Exhibit May 2017
Local History Photo Archive
The Eagle Valley Library District and the Eagle County Historical Society work together to bring you thousands of photographs, artifacts, and many other items from historical Eagle County and the surrounding areas on the Western Slope.
New in the Archive
When we say we add items to the archive every month, we're serious. Find new photographs, artifacts, and more showcased here.
The 2018 Nimon-Walker Award
On April 29th, 2018, Eagle Valley Library District and the Eagle County Historical Society will host its 17th Annual Nimon-Walker Award. The Nimon-Walker Award was created in 2001 to honor those who have made extraordinary efforts to preserve the history of Eagle County. Past honorees vary in topic and size, from family photographs, to rebuilding historic waterwheels. Enjoy this collection looking back through the Nimon-Walker Award's previous winners, and most importantly, this year's honoree: long-time local rancher, Verne Albertson. This year's honoree is Verne Albertson, long-time local and new author. Albertson compiled stories of his childhood growing up in rural Burns, Colorado, in the 1940s. Albertson's book, entitled "Beanies, Stick Horses, Marbles, & Mean Chickens: Growing Up in Burns, Colorado in the 1940s" captures a moment in time that many have forgotten or many in the valley never knew was here. It may be difficult to picture now, but Burns was once a bustling ranching area, with its own stockyard and schools. To read the history of Burns and the Albertsons is to read a list of names and places that have become enshrined in valley history: Nottinghams, Gates, railroads, stockyards, homesteading, and sets a dramatic scene for a transformation of our valley that was just around the bend. Verne isn't the first author in his family: his uncle, Orris, wrote down his memories of Burns and a history of homesteads in the area in the 1990s. Joe Albertson, Verne's father, also wrote down his own story which he entitled "The Making of A Cattleman”. Verne donated this to the library around the same time he figured out that it was his turn to try this ‘author’ gig. All three books are available at the Eagle library and online!, This is a temporary collection created for the 2018 Nimon-Walker Award event.
The Red Book: A History of Eagle County
"A History of Eagle County", also called The Red Book, is a compilation scrapbook written and produced by county school children in the 1940s. Each town in the area was given a chapter and provided information and pictures about industries, important people, local organizations, daily life, and the early growth of each town. Explore the chapters below to learn more about the history of Eagle County! See this collection in EVLD's Catalog!