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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- Tacoma Power Plant (D. Walken's home)
- Photo of a building next to a river. Identified as Tacoma power plant (D. Walken's home).
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- Take A Birdseye View of the Beautiful Animas Valley From Durango, Colo
- Postcard with two men sitting in a plane scene with a sign that reads "Take a Birdseye View of the Beautiful Animas Valley from Durango Colorado".
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- Teelawuket Ranch Near Durango, Colo.
- This is Teelawuket Ranch, in the big Rocky Mountains of the Southwest.
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- The "Silverton", Narrow Gauge in Animas Canyon, Colorado
- Real photo b/w view of locomotive pulling several passenger cars near the Animas River. Not mailed. One of a series of ten such postcards.
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- The Durango Smelter, Durango, Colo.
- A sepia toned postcard of the Durango Smelter. The Smelter has capacity to produce 500 tons daily, as stated on the postcard.
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- The Galloping Goose
- Photograph of the left side of the Galloping Goose #7 of the Rio Grande Southern line which has a snowplow attached to the cowcatcher on the front of the engine.
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- The Galloping Goose #3
- Photograph of the right side of the Galloping Goose #3 in the Durango station. On the side is a listing of the route - Ophir Loop, Lizard Head, Scenic Line, Thompson Park, Dolores Canon. Snow on mountains in the background.
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- The Galloping Goose #4
- Photograph of the left side of Galloping Goose #4 on the Rio Grande Southern line. Note on the back of the card "still in operation."
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- The Galloping Goose #5
- Photograph of the right side of the Galloping Goose #5, and another of the Galloping Geese (unidentified) right behind it, on tracks in a field.
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- The Galloping Goose - Unique Train on Rio Grande Southern
- Photograph of the left side of the Galloping Goose #3 Rio Grande Southern train car in the Dolores station.
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- The Galloping Goose - Unique Train on the Rio Grande Southern in Southwestern CO
- Photograph of the left side of the Galloping Goose #3 of the Rio Grande Southern line which has a snowplow attached to the cowcatcher, in the Durango station. A dog stands beside the train.
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- The Galloping Goose at Durango, Colo.
- Photograph of the left side of the Galloping Goose #4 of the Rio Grande Southern line which has a snowplow attached to the cow catcher, in the Durango station.