By Rosemary Fetter
As summer fades and a chill creeps into the air, it’s time to lose the umbrella and suntan lotion and curl up in front of the fireplace (or the space heater, as the case may be) with a good book and possibly a glass of wine. For Colorado history buffs, the following selections provide a variety of choices on a range of topics.
All are available locally or online.
Ladies of the Brown: A Women’s History of Denver’s Most Elegant Hotel
Author: Debra B. Faulkner
Publisher: The History Press
From the day it opened in 1892, Denver’s elegant Brown Palace Hotel has attracted the rich and famous, including some of the world’s most interesting women, celebrities like Sarah Bernhardt, Joan Baez and Zsa Zsa Gabor, and political royalty like Mamie Eisenhower, Ethel Kennedy and Hillary Clinton.
In her recent book, author Debra Faulkner (who also happens to be the Brown Palace historian) paints a vivid picture of the fascinating ladies who have visited, lived, played and worked at the hotel over the past century. The book is written in short vignettes, which makes it easy to read in slices.
From society doyenne Louise Crawford Hill, who is still said to haunt the upper floors, to Hope Diamond heiress Evalyn Walsh McLean and the world-famous Helen Keller, each has a fascinating story to tell.
Readers may be less familiar with other guests, including the privileged Jacqueline Hoefler Troyer, daughter of the African explorer, who lived at the hotel during the 1920s, from age 6-9. When the child caught scarlet fever, the Brown’s management was forced to affect a month-long quarantine by blocking off the hotels suite. Not even her parents were allowed to visit.
Faulkner creates compelling profiles of her subjects, and her book is well written. Interestingly, she also provides a glimpse of the women who have been employed at the Brown over the decades, such as Marge Harmon, who joined the staff as an elevator “pilot” in 1955, and hotel musician Barbara Goodrich, who set up her harp in the hotel lobby in 40 years later. Like the guests, they are important threads in the hotel’s colorful historic tapestry.
Ladies of the Brown is a definite must for readers of women’s history and anyone else who is intrigued by the past and the glamour of the legendary Brown Palace Hotel.
Colorado State Parks and Natural Areas
Author/Photographer: Frank Weston
Publisher: Westcliffe Publishing
Colorado State Parks and Natural Areas provides an impressive beautifully illustrated resource guide to Colorado’s most magnificent parks and natural areas. Westin’s spectacular photography illustrates the diversity of flora and fauna that comprises Colorado’s scenic areas and introduces readers to less familiar natural areas like the Sylvan Lake State Park, which boasts one of the most floristically diverse aspen forests in the state.
Another unique area is Castlewood Canyon State Park at the northernmost extension of the Black Forest on the Palmer Divide, near Castle Rock. Westin calls Castlewood “one of Colorado’s secret gems…an oasis in a sea of development.” An easy drive from Denver, the park exhibits “some of the most beautiful little scenes anywhere in Colorado.”
For newcomers to the state as well as those who think they’ve seen all that Colorado has to offer, this book is a real eye-opener. Published in cooperation with the Foundation for Colorado State Parks and Friends of the Natural Areas program, it features 43 incredible Colorado getaways with ecological and geological background, park details (walking trails, etc.) and driving directions.
The book is available through Westcliffe Publishers in Boulder.
Images of America: The Cripple Creek District
Created by the Cripple Creek District Museum
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Although Arcadia Publishing publications seem to be ubiquitous throughout the country these days, covering nearly every neighborhood, ethnic group and landmark from Maine to Montana and beyond, they have done good work with this particular publication. The staff and board of directors of the Cripple Creek District Museum were directly involved in selecting photos and appropriate text to produce an exceptional book that features several rare images and personal recollections.
“The World’s Greatest Gold Camp” was the purview of cattle ranchers and cow paddies until 1878, when rancher and ne’er do well Bob Womack spotted a “gold float” in Poverty Gulch, aka a piece of rock that has broken off and drifted downhill. Of course, nobody believed Womack, who was famous for his tall tales. Even after folks started taking him seriously and the boom began, Womack jumped the gun and sold his claim too early, proceeding to drink vigorously as he watched others get unbelievably rich.
The Cripple Creek District flourished at the turn of the 20th century and kept the West alive after the Silver crash of the 1890s. As a tourist town, and now a gaming town, it continues to thrive.
The excellent images in this book vary from buildings to events and people, but the latter are particularly interesting. Their faces capture the character of the district with remarkable accuracy, far better than words.
From the boomtown to ghost town and back, Cripple Creek is a jewel that, thankfully, has been preserved due in part to assistance from the State Historical Fund, which is supported through revenue from gaming in Cripple Creek, Black Hawk and Central City.
The Cripple Creek District is available at bookstores and through the Cripple Creek District Museum.
