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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- Durango and Smelter Hill (Colo.)
- Black and white photo of a view of Durango, Colorado with Smelter Mountain in the background.
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- Durango and Smelter Hill, Colo.
- Aerial photograph of Durango and Smelter Hill (Durango, Colo.) postmarked 1946.
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- Durango and Smelter Hill, Colo.
- Black and white photograph of the city of Durango, facing Smelter Hill.
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- Durango, Colo.
- 4-panel hand colored panoramic, aerial view of early Durango, Colorado.
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- Durango, Colo.
- Men with a line of mules carrying packages in town.
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- Durango, Colo.
- A sepia toned photo of the high- school building in Durango Colorado (the center has a colored version of this postcard in the Nina Heald Webber Collection - SWM 194, Vol. 1, item #52 ).
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- Durango, Colo. Mercy Hospital and the Catholic Church
- Photographs of Mercy Hospital and the Catholic Church in Durango, Colorado.
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- Durango, Colo. (4 card panorama)
- Four card panorama of Durango, Colorado. With information about Durango printed on the back by the Booster Club of Durango.
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- Durango, Colo. Presbyterian Church
- Hand colored photo of the street-view of the Durango, Colorado. Presbyterian Church.
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- Durango, Colo. Prespitarian [sic] Church
- Sepia photograph of the street view of the Presbyterian Church, Durango, Colorado.
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- Durango, Colo. Schools
- Hand colored pictures of the street views of Durango, Colorado Schools, Park, Whittier, and the High School
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- Durango, Colo. St. Columbus Catholic Church
- Colored picture of street view of St. Columbus Catholic Church, with a structure located in the back of the church.