Images of the San Juans - Softcover

Smith, P David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1890437123 ISBN 13: 9781890437121

Publisher: Western Reflections Publishing Co., 1997

Synopsis

Step back in time and see how prospectors, miners, merchants, investors, and families settled the mining towns in the gold and silver-rich San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. Telluride, Ouray, and Silverton are well portrayed, as well as many of the smaller towns that are now just crumbling piles of stone and lumber. P. David Smith has also added lengthy captions that explain and point out the particulars of each photograph. This book will really give you an idea of the way it was over 100 years ago in the San Juan Mountains. Featuring more than 250 rare and historical photographs from the private collection of Ruth and Marvin Gregory, this book allows readers to venture into the mines, ride the railroads, and share the catastrophes and celebrations of yesterday s West. Including well-researched and illuminating narratives, Images of the San Juans Revised, is the true life story of an awe-inspiring area, its inhabitants, and an ever-enduring pioneer spirit.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

In Images of the San Juans noted Ouray historian P. David Smith pays tribute to two well-known Ouray historians, Ruth and Marvin Gregory. Ruth Gregory (Marvin is now deceased) and P. David Smith have reviewed literally thousands of prints, glass plates and negatives from the Gregory's extensive photograph collection. A selection of over 250 superb images devoted to key events and themes in the history of the San Juans had been included in this book - many having never been published before.

To help bring active the history behind the photographs, P. David Smith has added lively, perceptive and extensive captions and Ruth Gregory has relayed many episodes from her family history, a history gathered from six generations who have lived and worked in the San Juans. The text gives a historical tour of the San Juans and sets the photographs in context. The result is an interesting and totally unique photographic history of the beautiful and historic San Juans.

P. David Smith is a lawyer, Ouray county judge and proprietor of Ouray's Buckskin Trading Company (The San Juan History Store). He has authored or co-authored five other books on Colorado History: Ouray - Chief of the Utes, Mountain Mysteries - The Ouray Odyssey, A Quick History of Ouray, Mountains of Silver- The Story of Ouray's Red Mountain Mining District and The Million Dollar Highway. He has written numerous magazine articles and is currently working on an extensive history of Ouray, Colorado. He is a past president of the Ouray County Historical Society and frequently lectures to numerous historical and archaeological groups.

Ruth Gregory has lived in the San Juans for almost eighty years. She is a sixth generation Coloradan. Besides taking the time to increase her extensive photograph collection, Ruth also takes many photographs of her own. She also paints and writes poetry, although she has never written a book of her own, Ruth has furnished many photographs and extensive information to dozens of well-known Colorado historians.

From the Back Cover:

The Ruth and Marvin Gregory Photograph Collection was affectionately put together by two people whose love for the San Juan Mountain's is evident. Now Ruth and San Juan historian P. David Smith have picked their favorites from over ten thousand prints. All of the photographs are interesting and unique and most have never been published. To Marvin and Ruth, the photos all tell a story. They are all made even more touching and provocative by the fact that Ruth and Marvin's story is told throughout the book. Ruth's family is now in its sixth generation in Colorado, her grandfather having been one of the first settlers in the San Juans. Ruth or her family actually lived the very life seen in many of the photographs from this book. Their friend, historian P. David Smith, with tenderness, humor and wonder, has supplied the captions which set the photographs in context. Here, in words and over 250 photographs, is the exciting mosaic of events and themes which record the life, landscape and times of the early San Juans.

About this edition

• Publisher: Western Reflections Publishing Co.
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 1890437123
• ISBN 13: 9781890437121
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 290