Miller Hill Cemetery is located on County Rd 5 (Piceance) just about 1 mile north of the Rock School. I would recommend it as part of of a leisurely half-day trip. The White River Museum has an informational brochure giving you points of interest along the way. If you are[Read More…]
Tag: History Lessons
History Lessons — Founder stories: Charles Dunbar Pt. 3
The quest for the wild Wyoming Dunbar family continues. From Historic Wyoming newspapers, I gleaned two important clues: Charley Dunbar’s brother’s name, Benjamin Dunbar, and a time frame. This clue suggests that Benjamin might appear in the 1880 Nebraska Federal census instead of Wyoming. The newspaper had reported that he[Read More…]
History Lessons: Founder stories: Charles Dunbar Pt. 2
Photo of the early days of the Meeker Hotel from www.historymeeker.com Once more, the Dunbar family in this edition are NOT related to any Dunbar family in Meeker today. We covered the dramatic death of Charles Dunbar last week. What I didn’t know when I started my research, is where[Read More…]
History Lessons – Founder stories: Susan C. Wright
Everyone knows about our historic Meeker Hotel, once visited by politicians and bank robbers. It was a resting place for weary travelers who would emerge from dusty stagecoaches run by the Harp family. What we now see is the product of decades of tearing down, remodeling, additions and hard work. [Read More…]
History Lessons – The Meeker Cemetery, Pt. 1
I wanted to title this series as “All You Ever Wanted to Know About Cemeteries” by Digger O’Dell. Digger O’Dell was a character in the 1945 radio program and later TV series, “The Life of Riley.” He was known as the Friendly Undertaker who quipped morbid puns. His exit line was[Read More…]
History Lessons – Mt. Streeter, Pt. 4
I have driven Highway 13 many times and have passed Mount Streeter without knowing it is there. Today, without its buildings and mine structures, it is totally unremarkable. It is fenced off and marked with formidable private property signs for a good reason, so please don’t trespass. As I drove[Read More…]
HISTORY LESSONS – Mt. Streeter, Pt. 3; The blind leading the blind?
If you want to see what Mount Streeter looked like, the White River Museum has a wonderful panoramic photo in its gift shop. To continue the Streeter history… In 1924, Doctor Lee H. Pattison, a blind chiropractor of South Bend, Indiana, headed up a group of Axial Basin Development Co.[Read More…]
HISTORY LESSONS – Mt. Streeter… the town that almost happened
In the April 9, 1920 edition of the Moffat County Bell, Streeter announced construction would soon start on the 30-mile stretch of rail from Craig to Mt. Streeter. There was some grading done by Ed O’Neill, contractor, but it didn’t last long. Money was running out. The bubble burst for[Read More…]
History Lessons – M.T. Streeter (Part 1)
The July 23, 1930, edition of the Craig Empire Courier carried the obituary of M. T. Streeter, “one of the greatest promoters of the West, who for many years had interests in Northwestern, CO, died Sunday in Oklahoma City, OK, … A sudden heart attack is given as the cause[Read More…]
History Lessons – 1984 plane crash in RBC killed FBI special agent
On the night of Dec. 8, 1984, a rented Cessna model 210, numbered N6805R piloted by Clifton Browning left Laramie, Wyoming, flying to Grand Junction at 4:30 p.m. The pilot reported to Denver control that his gyro was giving him trouble. He was flying IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) due to[Read More…]
HISTORY LESSONS – Knowledge of people
Jay Sullivan asked if I could write a story on how knowing history can help us with our current interactions with people. I had to think really hard on this one. My brain strains very easily. I generally steer clear of writing articles that try to improve other people. I[Read More…]
HISTORY LESSONS – Farthing
A farthing is a British coin worth a quarter of a British penny, or 1/960 of a pound. Not much value there. In 1918 a Dr. Farthing in Rio Blanco County was worth his weight in gold. Dr. Charles H. Farthing was recorded in the county clerk’s records as certified[Read More…]
