Volume 1: Early Durango
These postcards depict the early days of Durango, Colorado. According to The City of Durango, the town was created by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Company in September 1880 as a location for smelters to work the silver and gold being mined nearby. Durango’s more moderate climate at an elevation of 6,512 feet above sea level, a steady water supply from the Animas River, and the availability of coal made it a good choice. The city was named after Durango, Mexico, supposedly because the territorial governor at the time thought the geography was similar. (source)
Pages
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- All Aboard! Silverton Zephyr, Narrow Gauge R.R.
- Photograph of the right side of narrow gauge engine #453, in the Durango station. Postcard is addressed to Mrs. Alta Landrum of Waco, Texas, and is dated 6-30-54. A duplicate of this postcard was postmarked 9-16-1949 on the Alamosa & Durango Train #216.
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- American Legion Convention Durango
- A picture of a float representing Mesa Verde with an American flag.
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- American Smelter (Durango, Colo.)
- American Smelter, Durango, Colorado.
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- American Smelting & Refining Co. (Durango, CO)
- Smelter, with smoke billowing out of the stacks of a building, river running below (railroad?) bridge shown over the river.
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- American Smelting & Refining Co. (Durango, CO)
- Color painted picture of refinery, large buildings, 3 smokestacks, Smelter Mountain in background, smoke billowing out of the stack on the left, two small buildings are below the smelter.
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- Animas Bridge, Durango, Colorado
- A black and white photograph postcard of Animas Bridge, Durango, Colorado.
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- Animas Canyon (north of Durango, Colo.)
- Photograph of a statue on top of a rock created when the cut was made in the mountain for the railroad tracks.
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- Animas Canyon above Rockwood (near Durango, Colo.)
- View of steep canyon with the Animas River rushing through the bottom; railroad running along the side of the mountain on the left side.
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- Animas Canyon from Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge
- Animas Canyon from Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge. Hans Will owned Richey's in Durango, Colorado.
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- Animas River (Colo.)
- Black and white photograph of a bridge over the Animas River, smelter on the left, Perins Peak in the background.
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- Animas River (Colo.)
- Black and white photograph of bridge over the Animas River. There are structures shown on the right side of the bridge.
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- Animas River - Durango, Colo.
- Animas River near Durango, Colorado.