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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- Shelter House-Durango, Colorado
- Inside view of Shelter House in Durango, Colorado. Distant mountains shown through a doorway/window. Written on back, "Rained Thursday and Friday so it was Sunday before we could get out and then visited neighbors. We got in a good visit during the rains. Today we went to Durango. It was 12:45 a.m. Thursday when I got here so I didn't see it then. Tomorrow we are going to Mesa Verde National park and Thursday to Silverton on the Silver Vista-a glass top coach on the Narrow Gauge Railroad. Enjoying every minute." Addressed to Miss Ruth Shannon, from Cecile.
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- Ship Rock (near Durango, Colo.) [sic]
- Photograph of Shiprock, New Mexico.
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- Silver Vista Observation Coach on the Rio Grande in Colo.
- Photograph of the right side of the Silver Vista Observation coach #313, and passenger coach #319 in front of it. Part of the Denver & Rio Grande line.
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- Silverton Narrow Gauge Zephyr leaving Trimble Springs-Animas Valley, Colo.
- Real photo b/w view of the front of a narrow gauge railroad train steaming up and leaving Trimble Hot Springs, north of Durango, heading to Silverton. Not mailed.
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- Silverton Narrow Gauge in Animas Canyon, Colorado
- Photograph of the narrow gauge train (engine, approximately 8 passenger cars) steaming along the railroad tracks in the Animas Canyon beside the Animas River.
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- Silverton in Winter. Southwestern Colorado's "Narrow Gauge Country"
- Photograph of Engine #473 with a snowplow attached to the cowcatcher. Card was mailed in Norton, Mass 1-20-1958, addressed to Mr. Herbert D. Magoon, Buzzards Bay, Mass.
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- Skating Durango, Colo.
- Black and white picture of towns people at a little body of water.
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- Smelter in Durango, Colo.
- Photograph of the Smelter, Durango, Colorado.
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- Smelter in Durango, Colo.
- Close view of smelter, smoke billowing out of the stacks, river shown in bottom right corner appears to be hand-colored over a b/w photo [writing on back] addressed to Miss Helen Wyman, Silverton Colorado. postmarked Feb. 25, 1911. Durango one cent stamp.
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- Smith the Jeweler, Durango's Leading Jewelry Store
- Smith the Jeweler, Durango's Leading Jewelry Store, b/w real photo postcard, produced during the Undivided Back era. A view of the interior of the store.
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- Smoke From Smelter During 1911 Flood (Durango, Colo.)
- Photo of the smoke emitting from the smelter which is located near railroad tracks with the Animas River at flood stage and bridge in the background.
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- Snow Capped La Plata Mountains in the San Juan Basin, Colo.
- Photograph of the San Juan Basin with the La Plata Mountains in the background.