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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- Narrow Gauge Cut, Animas Canyon, Durango Colo.
- Narrow gauge cut, Animas Canyon, Durango Colorado. There is a statue on the top of a large rock left when the railroad was cut through the mountain.
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- Narrow Gauge Durango-Silverton Zephyr at Trimble Springs, Animas Valley, Colo.
- Photograph of the right side of the Durango-Silverton Zephyr at Trimble Springs, Animas Valley, Colorado. The observation car is most clearly in the foreground, and four passenger cars and two unidentifiable cars precede it on the right of the post card.
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- Narrow Gauge Engine #499 Steaming Through a Valley in Colo.
- Photograph of narrow gauge engine #499 traveling through a valley. The snowplow/cow catcher on the front of the engine is quite battered.
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- Narrow Gauge Engine (#481 or 484). Now Owned by CATS RR., Leaving Durango, Colo.
- Photograph of a narrow gauge engine now owned by CATS RR., leaving Durango, Colorado, 6-68.
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- Narrow Gauge Engine (Colo.)
- Photograph of engine #319, left side.
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- Narrow Gauge Engine in Durango, Colo.
- Photograph of the right side of engine #315 in Durango, Colorado.
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- Narrow Gauge Passenger Train "San Juan" [at] Chama, N.M., Alamosa-Durango line
- Real photo b/w front view of a train (engine #478) at the Chama railroad station, with snow on the ground. The station is partially visible behind. Not mailed. One of a series of ten such postcards.
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- Narrow Gauge Passenger Train at Gato (cat) Colo. Alamosa-Durango Line
- Real photo b/w front view of a train at the Gato (Colo.) train station, with snow on the ground and persons standing at the station, and a running dog on the left foreground. Not mailed. One of a series of ten such postcards.
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- Narrow Gauge Railroad Engine in Durango, Colo.
- Photograph of engine #453 on the Denver and Rio Grande line.
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- Narrow Gauge Railroad Engine in Durango, Colo.
- Photograph of narrow gauge engine #319 Denver & Rio Grande line, in the Durango yards. Photograph is of the left side of the engine.
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- Narrow Gauge Railroad Entering Animas Canyon in Colo.
- Photograph of the narrow gauge train (engine, four passenger cars, and an observation car) entering the Animas Canyon. Train is passing by a house and corral. Mountains in the background.
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- Narrow Gauge Railroad Passenger Cars in Colo.
- Photograph of a passenger train with four cars, an observation car and a steam engine leaving a flat area, and approaching the mountains.