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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- Greetings from Durango, Colo. "Should Owl'd Acquaintance Be Forgot"
- Photo of an owl wearing glasses - "Greetings from Durango, Colorado. Should Owl'd acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind, Should Owl's acquaintance be forgot And days of Owl'd lang syne "
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- Greetings from Durango, Colo. Population 6,634, Altitude 6,529 ft.
- Photograph panorama of Durango, Colorado. Card addressed to Mrs. C. H. Varney.
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- Greetings from Durango, Colo., the Queen City of the Sunny San Juan.
- Greetings from Durango, Colorado, the Queen City of the Sunny San Juans. Altitude 6,529 feet, Population 6,630. Panorama photograph of Durango, Colorado. Taken from the South.
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- Greetings from Durango, Colorado
- Photo of a burro with a saddle on its back, caption underneath states "Take one on me" photo appears to be hand-colored over a black and white photo.
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- Greetings from Durango, Colorado
- Photo of Ute Indian Chief, Ignacio, sitting on a horse, photo appears to be hand-colored over a b/w photo, post card addressed to Miss Goldeth Giessesee Rifle, Colorado. Postmarked March 2 ,1907; one cent stamp. Also postmarked on the front. Copyright date 1906.
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- Harry Ayers and a Horse. Attached Picture of Ayers at his Desk.
- A black and white postcard of a man and his horse. A photo of the same man sitting at his desk is attached. A note included with the two photos reads, "Harry Ayers was married to my grandmother's sister. She died and he remarried a woman named Mary. When my mother, Lorna Goeglein, lost her mother in 1935 Harry Ayers and his wife took her in. They owned a large cattle ranch in Durango. They were wonderful people and loved my mother as their own. He was a four term sherrif for La Plata County. Included with this is a copy of a photo of him at his desk." The photos were taken sometime around 1937.
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- Harvesting hay
- Photo of two men harvesting hay. One man is atop a hay stack on a wagon that is being pulled by two horses. The second man is holding a pitchfork.
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- Hereford Cattle (Durango, Colo.)
- Photograph of two herefords standing in a field.
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- Hermosa House at the Celebrated Trimble Hot Springs, 9 miles from Durango
- Photo of three-story house with a belvedere on top, several horses and carriages are in front of the house, there are several people standing on the steps in front of the house, on the veranda and on a balcony above the front steps.
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- High Animas River
- High Animas River (looks like the 1910-1911 flood photos). Man walking down wooden staircase from house to river.
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- High School (Durango, Colo.)
- Photo of a three-story brick building; three trees are in front of the building; this card appears to be hand-colored over a b/w photo
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- High School (Durango, Colo.)
- Photo of the three-story Durango High School building. There are several trees in front of the building; a hill is behind the right side of the building. This postcard appears to be hand-colored over a b/w photo.