Then and Now Images

[sfarson]

FWIW, something different. A selection of "then and now "photos captured over the years, standing where the photographer stood many years ago. I didn't always get it right... rushed pics, different lens, and other excuses, but hey, there was always a bike pausing nearby or idling underneath. They do, or can, cause moments of reflection.

The mining community of Apex in the late 1800's, having a 4th of July parade...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/apexthen.jpg

Apex today, a semi-ghost town about five miles NW of Central City...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/apexnow.jpg

Bonanza, as in "It's a bonanza boys!" flared when a rich gold vein was discovered nearby. President Ulysses S. Grant visited upon reports Bonanza could be the next Leadville...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/bonanzathen.jpg

The gold was mined and fires swept through the close proximity structures (A common fate of many frontier towns... wood heat, wood structures, no 911)...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/bonanzanow.jpg

Tracks were laid over the Boreas Pass summit to haul ores from Leadville to Denver...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/boreasthen.jpg

The tracks were pulled up in the 1930's, and in the 1950's a road was placed on the old rail bed. Riding friend Rick cheesily agreed to place himself where the train was...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/boreasnow.jpg

The Cathedral Spires along the North Fork of the South Platte...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/cathedralthen.jpg

Two rails then, two wheels today...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/cathedralnow.jpg

The pastoral Dedisse Ranch above Evergreen...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/evergreenthen.jpg

That pastoral Bear Creek above would turn demonic when its raging waters would crash through towns below after heavy rains. The dam creating Evergreen Lake had me off to the side for the "now" pic...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/evergreennow.jpg

[sfarson]

The Bradford Junction community in the late 1800's would gather at this ranch for all things social... dances, celebrations, etc. Perhaps this was a July 4th gathering. Bring your best attire was often the unstated rule...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/foxtonthen.jpg

Today, busy U.S. 285 passes by the same place near the town of Conifer. Had the elevated highway not be present, could have gotten lower for a better comparison...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/foxtonnow.jpg
Gold Hill is the location of one of Colorado's earliest gold strikes. An image from around 1890...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/goldhillthen.jpg

In a way, not a lot has changed. Well, there are more trees... less need to cut down the nearby woods for structures and heat. Colorado's oldest continuously operating school is here. The massive Four Mile wildfire of September 2010 licked the edges of the town off to the left, but a valiant firefighting effort spared the historical buildings. If you have a BBQ sandwich at the general store, a pot bellied stove is a main source of the heat and the bathroom is about the size of your coat closet...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/goldhillnow.jpg

A thrilling road just for owners of new fangled cars was built above Golden around 1920...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/lookoutthen.jpg

Today the Lookout Mountain road thrills for owners of two wheeled transportation devices. The sun kindly obliged and a rider was caught just in time on the far left...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/lookoutnow.jpg

Marshall Pass about 70 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/marshallthen.jpg

And today...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/marshallnow.jpg

Narrow gauge trains/rails were used 100 years ago because, well, they were narrow and could squeeze between canyon walls and rivers. Denver passengers often took weekend trips into the mountains on these trains. Not far from Buffalo Creek...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/peterheadthen.jpg

The aptly named Peterhead Rock today. Could have climbed higher for a more accurate "now" image, but I risked life and limb just getting this high!
http://www.farson.com/thennow/peterheadnow.jpg

[sfarson]

An 1890's hacked out road just south of Ouray...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/skywaythen.jpg

Today's famed Million Dollar Highway...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/skywaynow.jpg

Cripple Creek and Victor pumped out so much gold, the amount was greater than the California and Alaska gold rushes combined. Back then Victor had a population of 5,000...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/victorthen.jpg

Today about 100 call Victor home. Most downtown structures are empty...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/victornow.jpg

Looking west towards Westcliffe in 1900, towards the dramatic Sangre de Cristos Range...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/westcliffethen.jpg

Well, someone has surely came along since then with some seeds or seedlings!
http://www.farson.com/thennow/westcliffenow.jpg

[~Barn~]

Nice thread! Thanks for sharing. :up:

[Roadbiker3]

Wow, I really liked looking at these. More Please!

[BC14]

Very cool!!!!!

[bornwildnfree]

OMG that's so awesome!

[dirkterrell]

Awesome of you to share these, Steve. That's one thing I really like about The Book*, it tells a little of the history of a lot of these places that we most often just go flying by. The reason I got the XR was to go out and see these things myself. The Book will make that a much more efficient process for me this year.

* For those that don't know what I'm talking about, see Steve's sig and check out this thread:

http://www.cosportbikeclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=42947

For those of us without Nick-Ninja-level knowledge of motorcycling in Colorado (i.e. just about everyone), this book is a veritable gold mine for riders. You really should get it.

[Ghettodsm]

That was great! I would like to visit some of these spots one day. Very good work

[Jmetz]

Awesome man. Thanks for sharing!

[derekm]

great thread & pics! :)

[birchyboy]

Those are great pics.

As an aside, there's an older book, I think it's called "Colorado Ghost Towns", that has similar then and now pictures with general directions on how to access the old towns.

[Nooch]

Sir, you are the sort of adventurer and photographer I aspire to be one day! Thanks for posting these! Hooray for history!!! :applause:

[BrandonR1]

great pix.


makes me miss colorado more and more.. :|

[biikChiQ]

nice thread! :-)

[CaptGoodvibes]

I loves me some then and now pics!

[200sr20]

Pretty cool!

[Clovis]

Thanks for sharing! I love stuff like that.

[GuitarX]

Awesome pictures! Thanks for posting, I really need to buy your book...

EDIT: I *just* bought your book... :-)

[asp_125]

Those are great! :up:

Hmmm gives me an idea, there are more historic photos of Denver, Boulder, Golden etc that we can actually ride to, and pose our bikes in. Kind of a historic scavenger hunt anyone?

[sloridr]

Absolutely excellent!!!:bow:

And the book is well worth picking up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[DemonRider]

:up::applause::up::applause:

[dirkterrell]

Hmmm gives me an idea, there are more historic photos of Denver, Boulder, Golden etc that we can actually ride to, and pose our bikes in. Kind of a historic scavenger hunt anyone?

I'm game.

[sfarson]

Kind thoughts all.

There can be reflections from older images... what remains, where there is change, what vanishes. Photos of people from previous generations can cause a pause, at least with me, as if then was their time on the stage of life, and now we're up on the stage. May we say our lines well, and with gusto.

In the late 1800's the townsite of Tarryall, on the magical Tarryall Road (County 77 - Park County) sprang to life with nearby gold and silver deposits... but it wasn't a long "sprang". The town also went by the unflattering name of "graball". Guess the merchants, tradesmen, middlemen, etc. charged or took whatever they could from the miners. The nearby county seat was named "Fairplay" because we "play fair" with the miners. The "garden spot" of Tarryall in the 1880's...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/tarryallthen.jpg

A riding friend and I wandered all over the place trying to find the location of the above...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/tarryallnow.jpg

The Hartsel hotel...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/hartselthen.jpg

I pulled over here unplanned, remembering I had seen a photo of this location, but didn't have the old pic with me. Had to guess. What isn't seen/known, is the temps were 10f when I paused for this single pic, freezing the digits when the gloves off! Came pretty close...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/hartselnow.jpg

Back when inmates were sentenced to "hard labor", the nearby residents at the Canon City Territorial Prison constructed this amusement park like road called Skyline Drive...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/skylinethen.jpg

I found the photo above after taking the photo below. If ever in the Canon City area, ride this thing. The one way road with its blind rises will leave you with your stomach in your throat if you gas it a bit. http://www.farson.com/smiley/lol.gif
http://www.farson.com/thennow/skylinenow.jpg

[Zanatos]

Fantastic pictures! Thank you for posting these.

[sfarson]

Those are great! :up:

Hmmm gives me an idea, there are more historic photos of Denver, Boulder, Golden etc that we can actually ride to, and pose our bikes in. Kind of a historic scavenger hunt anyone?

A fine idea! If interest, here's a start. My now images in front of these two places are lame. One was rushed, the other was taken before finding the old pic. These are winter rideable...

The Elbert County Courthouse in Kiowa (1910)...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/kiowathen.jpg

This 1900 image of a church in Elbert...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/elbertthen.jpg

Would love to see framed "now" versions of these with a bike in front, or at least with the church pic, the motorcycle attired rider standing on the stairs. http://www.farson.com/smiley/nod.gif

[longrider]

Great pictures, I like the comparisons! A few observations: I have ridden the Tarryall road (77) and that is definitely a dualsport/adventure tourer ride, not a sportbike ride. I made it all the way but it was not fun. I found it funny that in Victor there was still a utility pole in the same spot 100 years later. At least now we dont have those 50 individual wires strung. I will see if I can get the Elbert county courthouse next Sunday (assuming its rideable that day) It is now the county admin building and all the grass and shrubbery is nothing but parking lots :(

[Cap'n Crunch]

Cool! Awesome post sfarson!

[Lomax]

Steve,

I LOVE these. Thanks for posting them up again.

I was just down on foxton Saturday with Bill. Even coaxed him into riding it on his Duc. :applause:

We were both thinking of you.

Thanks

Marc

[LambeauXLIV]

If ever in the Canon City area, ride this thing. The one way road with its blind rises will leave you with your stomach in your throat if you gas it a bit.

+1 highly recommended

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo125/LambeauXLIV/DSC00676-1.jpg

[biikChiQ]

... I'm inspired to do one of these historic scavenger hunts too!

[Joe]

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Q9e6IcOv1FE/Tx4oPHurlQI/AAAAAAAAARc/wDHjia6JkUM/s800/Elbert%252520Church%2525201995.JPG (https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Q9e6IcOv1FE/Tx4oPHurlQI/AAAAAAAAARc/wDHjia6JkUM/s800/Elbert%252520Church%2525201995.JPG)
Here's the Elbert Church circa 1995.
I had just finished pouring the stairs for my Eagle Scout Project.

I haven't been out there since... 2002?

I think it's time for another trip. Thanks for these photos.

[Clovis]

Is the Skyline drive paved? Aaron and I are riding Canon City to Salida later this week.

[longrider]

Skyline is paved and it is a great ride! (but not for speed)

[Bugkiller1]

Great post Steve!

After reading your book I now have a greater appreciation for all of the roads I love to ride... and bonus; cool then and now photos!

See you soon buddy!

-Neil

[Vitesse]

Great photos! Love seeing the history like that!

One small correction I'd like to make. The population of Victor is around 500 people. Although there are a couple of downtown buildings that are not in operation, most are active small shops and restaurants. I grew up there.

Today about 100 call Victor home. Most downtown structures are empty...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/victornow.jpg

[stubbicatt]

Outstanding contribution to the community. Thanks for your efforts. Very nice.

[sfarson]

Bluestreak... Thanks for the clarification. I tried not to include the pop of the nearby surrounding communities, like Goldfield, but not that it would have made a huge diff. For sure Victor is a cool place. Authentic. There are some businesses on the 1st floor of the down buildings, but most don't look like, at least to me, they are much of a going concern.

http://www.farson.com/thennow/victor4ththen2.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/victor4thnow2.jpg

[CBRSue]

Needed a quick break from boring work stuff today... these are really cool pics, thanks for sharing!!! :up:

[Ghost]

I love seeing these, thanks for posting them, and looking forward to seeing more.







...and now I need a SuMo or DS...damnit...

[FZRguy]

Thanks Steve, enjoying your book. I'm a big fat IN for a photo scavenger hunt.

[Nvr2late]

Bought your book today and can't wait to start planning some rides for this summer. Skyline Drive looks amazing and will definitely be on my list of "must sees".

[lytehouse]

I love this kind of stuff....I recieved this a few years back......

http://www.johnfielder.com/shop/Colorado-1870-2000.html

[sfarson]

For something diff... If you can hang in there until the last 40sec. of this 3:19 ride vid, there are "then" pics with the "now" video, pausing at the semi-ghost town of Eldora.... a boom and bust community from the flare and fade of productive mines...

http://youtu.be/aevZevqVJFs

Quite the contrast.

[Lomax]

Steve, I still need to goad you into signing my book :applause: Someday

Marc

[sfarson]

Great pictures, I like the comparisons! A few observations: I have ridden the Tarryall road (77) and that is definitely a dualsport/adventure tourer ride, not a sportbike ride. I made it all the way but it was not fun.

lr... Yeah, the 42 miles of the Tarryall Road does have its "opportunity areas", but there is some news. http://www.farson.com/smiley/nod.gif Before this past summer the lower seven and northern eight miles were riding divine. Still are. Ten more miles were re-engineered in 2011, and wow, what a great job. This leaves a middle 17 miles still a broken chip/seal, but for eight miles south of the historic Tarryall townsite, it is pretty good, even for sport bikes. Now, really, it is the nine miles between the Tarryall townsite and the Tarryall Reservoir that are... ugh.

The feds are helping with the funding of improvements. It is a Park County scenic and historic treasure, with interpretive signs and pullouts along the way, and the feds want to upgrade this road linking U.S. 285 on the north and U.S. 24 on the south. The massive 2002 Hayman wildfire was launched by the forest server worker at a campground about seven miles north of U.S. 24 on this Tarryall/County 77 road. The feds helping fight the fire saw the need for improving this road. Supposedly, bids go out soon for the bumpy nine miles mentioned above.

If interest, this recent November ride video reveals the sweet ten miles of improvements made north of the Tarryall Reservoir in 2011. The pic below is passed at around 3:30 of the 5:16 recording...

http://youtu.be/_8kYneVwdlQ

http://www.farson.com/vfr800/hdr/vfr800tarryallcabin_hdr.jpg

[sfarson]

Steve, I still need to goad you into signing my book :applause: Someday

Marc

Well, if YOU WOULD LET ME KNOW when you and Bill are on ONE OF YOUR SCOOTS, I think I could be goaded. http://www.farson.com/smiley/lol.gif

[crypto0793]

Where is this skyline road?

[BC14]

Where is this skyline road?
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=skyline+drive+canon+city

[crypto0793]

Thanks for that

[Suki]

LOVE, definitely will need to ad your book to our collection of places to see this summer!

[sfarson]

A few more.

Quite the scene in Idaho Springs at the turn of the last century as the ore teams prepared to head to the mines in the morning...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/idahothen.jpg

Lunchtime is when the community nowadays oftens sees the most activity. If there was something to stand on other than a pick-up truck bumper, could have gotten higher...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/idahonow.jpg

The Peck House in Empire (at the southern base of Berthoud Pass) is one of Colorado's oldest continuosly operating hotels...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/peckthen1.jpg

Much of the interior furniture came with the Peck family in 1862. Not much of an audience this day...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/pecknow1.jpg

Speaking of Berthoud Pass, almost 100 years ago, 1915...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/berthoudthen.jpg

A gorgeous pass in more ways than one...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/berthoudnow.jpg

Meeker's main street 90 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/meekerthen1.jpg

Meeker, in NW Colorado is in the middle of fantastic riding, on and off road...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/meekernow1.jpg

Explorer John C. Fremont discovered the pass containing his name in the 1840's...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/fremontthen.jpg

That's 14,148 ft. Mt. Democrat in the distance guarding the SW corner of this broad and airy riding pass...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/fremontnow.jpg

[longrider]

Steve, I finally got around to taking the pictures in Elbert County. You wanted a bike in the picture and nature had not been cooperating :(

Elbert:

http://www.farson.com/thennow/elbertthen.jpg

http://www.felonyfreestyle.com/trackdays/img_6871e.jpg

Unfortunately the height was not possible, I suspect there may have been a railroad water tower the the old pic was taken from. I also saw once I downloaded the pics that the angle was a little off, I might go back and try again when I have time

Kiowa:

http://www.farson.com/thennow/kiowathen.jpg

http://www.felonyfreestyle.com/trackdays/img_6863e.jpg

Your link for the old pic is broken but I inserted it anyway, hopefully you can get the Kiowa pic back. Trees sure grow a lot in 100 years...

[sfarson]

lr... Major oops for editing the Kiowa Courthouse pic at my server! Sorry. Here it is. And major kudos, take a bow for your pics. Excellent framing and position!

http://www.farson.com/thennow/kiowacourtthen.jpg

[sfarson]

Also, I think one or two of those trees have survived well. And nice seeing the sweet VFR in the pics. http://www.farson.com/smiley/nod.gif

[sfarson]

Knowing there is a familiarity with the MoCo and Deckers here...

Not far from the MoCo, the Morrison school in the late 1800's...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/morrisonschoolthen.jpg

I think it is a residence now...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/morrisonschoolnow.jpg

Bear Creek would rampage through Morrison periodically after heavy rains would soak the canyons above town. The dam at Evergreen ten miles to the west helped sedate the water, but not before this flood 80 years ago, with mud the photographed aftermath...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/morrisonthen.jpg

The tamed stream is behind me in this "now" pic...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/morrisonnow.jpg

Deckers then and now. The river and dirt roads of 100 years ago have been rerouted. Most of the structures are gone as well. Oh but those hills remain
unrerouted. Facing north, the river and road crossings of Deckers back then...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/deckersthen.jpg

Climbed the hill overlooking Deckers in the motorcycle gear. Could have scrambled a little higher to the rock the individual is sitting on, but would have been amidst a dense stand of trees...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/deckersnow.jpg

It actually was quite the idyllic place back then. Good fishin', good game in the forests, etc...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/deckerscottagesthen.jpg

And you know, the fishin' and the huntin' remain good, as does the ridin'. A guard rail and a seriously big tree nearby prevented me from a slightly better
perspective...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/deckerscottagesnow.jpg

And one could even refresh in a lithia bath back then...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/deckersbaththen.jpg

Today...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/deckersbathnow.jpg

[Owen_R6]

amazing...thanks for sharing

[sfarson]

Hey all, hope you're having a fantastic summer of riding. Been months since updating this thread. Here's some more...

Montezuma, Colorado is a semi-ghost town about five miles west of the Keystone ski resort. It sprung to life in the 1860's after silver was discovered in the area of nearby Argentine Pass. By 1890 the population was up to 1,000 coinciding with the Colorado Silver Boom. Well, the population of Montezuma also coincided with the Colorado Silver Bust three years later in 1893, and since then the decline of the population and structure kind has continued. Five fires over the years have not helped with "historic preservation", but nevertheless some old buildings remain and can be viewed on a ride to this high 10,200ft. elev. place.

Here's a look east down Montezuma's main street in the late 1800's...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/montezuma1then.jpg

And today with a population around 40-50. Note the similar snow patterns on the peak 120+ years later!
http://www.farson.com/thennow/montezuma1now.jpg

Ride the horse through town and turn around looking west back then...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/montezuma2then.jpg

And today...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/montezuma2now.jpg

I did come across this 1940's image of one of the old hotels still standing...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/montezuma3then.jpg

But it is no longer is standing today...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/montezuma3now.jpg

Shawnee, Colorado was a place for tourists to stay a spell. The train noted in the preceding post would drop off Denver paying passengers at the Shawnee train stop for some relaxin', hikin', fishin', etc. About 100 years ago, looking east from Shawnee, this was the view. The tracks are unseen here, down and to the left alongside the North Fork of the South Platte River. But the wagon road is visible...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/shawnee285then.jpg

The dirt wagon road is today's paved U.S. 285...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/shawnee285now_tm.jpg

Now, 100 years ago from the same location as above, if one turned 90 degrees to the right in the wintertime, and looked up, here is where some of the visitors would stay...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/shawneegrandviewthen.jpg

It is one of the oldest remaining structures in Shawnee today...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/shawneegrandviewnow.jpg

[sfarson]

From a distance, one can see how Shawnee looked back then. Can see the above Grand View Hotel to the left of the access road. The really big lodge to the right burned down in 1929. Many of the lodges along the train route burned down mysteriously in the 1920's and 1930's as train traffic gave way to auto traffic. Travelers by auto could come and go from Denver without staying the night or weekend. The probable reason for these lodges turned to ashes? Insurance money.
http://www.farson.com/thennow/shawneethen.jpg

Well, I hiked up a hill through a garden of cow pies as far as I could go, but elevation gain was no more with a serious barbed wire fence hoping I would make its day. Turned around for Shawnee today...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/shawneenow.jpg

Have passed through this canyon (back then a train bed, today a chip seal on the old bed) casually the past year or so trying to spot the location of this 100 year old image. No luck. Until a few days ago. "Poised Rock" is that round rock at the top of the sloping rock face. See that dot of a tree in front of it?
http://www.farson.com/thennow/poisedrockthen.jpg

The North Fork of the South Platte, about 30 miles SW of Denver. Some things change, some things do not...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/poisedrocknow_tm.jpg

Here's the wagon access road to the canyon 110 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/beaverranchthen.jpg

Today's Foxton Road...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/beaverranchnow_tm.jpg

Now how about this. Granby almost 90 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/granbythen.jpg

The Granby/Grand Lake area is the gateway to the western sides of Rocky Mountain National Park. Several quick dashes into the traffic, and this image came closest to what is above...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/granbynow.jpg

[sfarson]

A few then/now of Jefferson, a small ranching community in the high meadows of South Park, Colorado. This is from just after the train tracks were pulled up in 1937 and a dirt road placed down. That's the train depot on the left...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/jeffersonthen1.jpg

And it is still the "historic" train depot on the left, along with a caboose like structure to the right offering summertime fare like BBQ, burgers, etc. The size of the community hasn't changed much over the years, usually hovering around 50...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/jeffersonnow1.jpg

In the color image above, see the home with the white window trim? Here it is in the late 1800's...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/jeffersonthen2.jpg

A few decades later, some new surrounding structures, and some new area residents...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/jeffersonthen3.jpg

And 90 years later, some new aspen. Well not so new, but doing well. Angle of the sun is almost the same...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/jeffersonnow3.jpg

Looking down this residential street back with the same home on the right...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/jeffersonthen4.jpg

Maybe I'll return with a chainsaw for a better now perspective :)...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/jeffersonnow4.jpg

Paused at Barker Reservoir above Boulder, Colorado. It was built just over 100 years ago by the city of Boulder as a storage and flood control project.

Looking east as construction continued and water started to fill the meadows... and cattle saw shrinking pasture land...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/barkerthen1.jpg

The dam has been rebuilt since then...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/barkernow1.jpg

[sfarson]

Looking west before there was a Barker Reservoir...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/barkerthen2.jpg

Ehhh, a bit of a change....
http://www.farson.com/thennow/barkernow2.jpg

OK, the image above shows the historic mining town of Nederland in the distance, with the ski runs of Eldora up higher. Nederland was a consolidating kind of town, providing central services for the productive mines and now ghost towns up higher. Men from the Netherlands named it Nederland for the town was located on a somewhat small, but nevertheless flat piece of land reminding them of their European home. And how about this, a color "then" image from ~60 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/barkerthen3.jpg

I had lunchtime chow down the street, and after some nice consumption strolled up the hill, turned around, strolled some more, framed things...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/barkernow3.jpg

Silver Plume, a flair and fade mining town that was hitched to the fortunes of silver prices, is just off I-70 on the eastern climb to the Eisenhower Tunnel. It's just one exit west of Georgetown.

72 years ago this is how it appeared...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/silverplumethen.jpg

Today, at almost the same time of day and season given the shadows. It has not been prettied up like some other historic towns in Colorado, but I kinda like that it hasn't...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/silverplumenow.jpg

At the very least, if there is hint of weakness or affection for freshly baked bread, then absolutely exit for Silver Plume, ride the dirt 100 yards to and through the setting above, and then stop at the Sopp & Truscott Bakery at the east end. If it isn't open there will be a metal chest at the door with wrapped loaves of soft and freshly baked bread of sundry kinds. The honor system has a small chest inside for your $4 - $5. If you turn around from the images above, here it is...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/sopptruscott.jpg

Georgetown, a community that thrived from the late 1800's silver boom, and continues to fare well today. It is located on I-70 where the eastern climbing grade to Loveland Pass and the Eisenhower Tunnel increases notably. Interesting how starting ten miles east of Georgetown the fever came ores of gold, but not here, nor Silver Plume on the other side of the interstate. Georgetown is also at the northern base of the Guanella Pass Scenic Byway, and the north side was re-engineered and repaved last year.

Here's the Alps like Guanella Pass Road...
http://www.farson.com/imagestm/guanellaroad3_tm.jpg

The last switchback before the summit is attained...
http://www.farson.com/imagestm/guanellaroad1_tm.jpg

[sfarson]

But anyway, this is a then/now thread, and here is Georgetown over 100 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/georgetownthen1.jpg

I-70 comes up this Creek Creek drained valley and hugs the slopes on the left, though one can hardly tell from this treed image from the same location on the Guanella Pass Road (which was constructed as a wagon road for the silver mines up above)...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/georgetownnow1.jpg

Parades were big events back then, communities large and small often had them for Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day. Three images a photographer captured from the same spot as the parade made a turn...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/georgetownthen3a.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/georgetownthen3c.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/georgetownthen3b.jpg

Today. Thankfully those mountains in the background helped find the location, for the buildings hardly do...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/georgetownnow.jpg

At the rear end of the parade. Dressing up was a common practice for events like a parade, but seemingly it was the thing to do whenever out in public...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/georgetownthen2.jpg

Today. More trees and some structural changes...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/georgetownnow2.jpg

[Sean]

LOVE the photos! Thanks for taking the time to share.

[salsashark]

LOVE the photos! Thanks for taking the time to share.

YES!!! MOAR :yay:


btw... I road over Guanella Pass from Georgetown to 285 for the first time this past Sunday. If you haven't had the opportunity to do so, you're missing out!

[Ghost]

LOVE the photos! Thanks for taking the time to share.

+1

[Sean]

Is it bad that all of the old photos, look like modern day Rifle, CO? :lol:

[Ghost]

modern day/Rifle, CO

^I think that's a contradiction...

[Keyser Soze]

Hehe. I worked at the Morrison Inn when I was 15. They had some really cool old photos of when it was a drug store. Good stuff!

http://www.farson.com/thennow/morrisonnow.jpg

[Sean]

^I think that's a contradiction...
Can't wait till we get electricity...next year! :canuck:

[lngball]

That was awesome, thanks.

[sfarson]

YES!!! MOAR :yay:


btw... I road over Guanella Pass from Georgetown to 285 for the first time this past Sunday. If you haven't had the opportunity to do so, you're missing out!

Thanks all. Reflections of the past... something a modern day, two wheeled horse can uniquely deliver. http://www.farson.com/smiley/nod.gif

Salsa... Guanella is sweet isn't it. A superb re-engineering and paving job on the north side completed last October. The feds supposedly are going to help Park County finish the south side the next few years.

[dr.oldsjr]

Very cool to compare and contrast

[FZRguy]

How is the unpaved section of Guanella...packed dirt, gravel, combo of both? Still 12 miles worth?

Great pics, Steve.

[neh]

How is the unpaved section of Guanella...packed dirt, gravel, combo of both? Still 12 miles worth?

Great pics, Steve.


Not too dusty, but 3.5 miles of nothing but washboard from 1/2 mile from Grant. The rest is old pavement which is a lot better than the washboard. Overall, not a bad road.

[FZRguy]

Not too dusty, but 3.5 miles of nothing but washboard from 1/2 mile from Grant. The rest is old pavement which is a lot better than the washboard. Overall, not a bad road.

Looks like it starts climbing right from Grant. Would you say that is the best end to start? Think I'd rather be going up on the dirt than down.

[salsashark]

The dirt's pretty much flat. All the decline if on old pavement. I passed a gsxr and another sportbike that came up that way. They didn't look to be having any trouble. Go light on the throttle and you'll be fine.

Personally, I'd rather go up the tight switch-backs on the Georgetown side, but that's me...

[Ghosty]

Awesome, thanks for sharing!

[675Rider]

Cool!

[sfarson]

Well, been a few months. Another batch of places you've might have passed through on two wheels or paused at.

Recently, while passing through the town of Walden in northern Colorado. Walden is in the middle of North Park, a large valley, kinda u-shaped, with the Medicine Bow Range on the east, the Park Range on the west, and the Rabbit Ears Range anchoring the south. Walden with a population around 800 is the county seat of Jackson. Ranching is a key commercial activity. North Park is the home of the Arapaho Wildlife Refuge, and Walden declares itself the moose capital of Colorado.

Well anyway, with that as background, little remains of old Walden. Don't know if it was flames, or the trials of time and weather, but here it is early last century...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/walden1then.jpg

And here it is early this century...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/walden1now.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/walden1merge.jpg

The Mosman General Store...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/waldenmosman3then.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/waldenmosman3merge.jpg

If ever making the U.S. 40 transit over Berthoud Pass from the south, you will pass through the small town of Empire. Like most communities in this long Clear Creek drainage that nearby I-70 courses through, Empire can trace its roots to ores found under the slopes of nearby hills. More on Empire's history here. (http://www.empirecoloradogov.com/history.htm)

So anyway, a few pics. One of the earlier mountain "then" images I've come across. Empire as a mining camp in 1880...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/empireathen.jpg

Now, one would think it would be a cinch finding the above location and direction, but daaang, I passed through, turned around, retraced, with old image in hand, several separate times while riding through Empire to no avail. Well, I was making the assumption the above wagon trail through Empire is today's U.S. 40. One day, I looked south down one of the few side streets...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/empireanow.jpg

In 1910...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/empirebthen.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/empirebnow.jpg

[sfarson]

From exploring the historic townsite of Nighthawk on the banks of the Middle Fork of the South Platte. This is at the intersection of the Pine Creek Road and the South Platte River Road. You would pass by if coming/going to Deckers via Sprucewood.

About a 100 years ago with a lack of productive nearby mining contributing to the lack of a vibrant town...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/nighthawk2then.jpg

Today...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/nighthawk2now.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/nighthawk2merge.jpg

Despite the Handyman's Special on the left, Nighthawk didn't convince many to settle there 100 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/nighthawk1then.jpg

Would say the place is still kinda "allure challenged" today...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/nighthawk1now.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/nighthawk1merge.jpg

Como is a small historic community located at 9,800ft. elevation in the high meadows of South Park, Colorado. While golden ores were the draw at most area mining camps, it was black coal leading to the establishment of Como in 1871. Italian coal miners named the camp after Lake Como, in Italy. In 1879 the Denver, South Park & Pacific railroad build a depot here, along with narrow gauge tracks over nearby Boreas Pass. Well, for a few decades thousands lived here. Today, perhaps around 100 is the pop. Most of the structures are old. The place looks authentic. Here's a then/now tour.

Here's Como about 80 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/como/comowestthen.jpg

Alas, a rancher's fence and gate that I'm leaning against behind me threatened serious prosecution if I snuck across for a better now perspective...
http://www.farson.com/como/comowestnow.jpg

[Lomax]

Thank you Steve. I love these then and now pictures.

Marc

[sfarson]

At about the same time, 80 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/como/comonorthwestthen.jpg

Today...
http://www.farson.com/como/comonorthwestnow.jpg

Here's the Como school around 100 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/como/comoschoolthen2.jpg

Now it is the Como Civic Center...
http://www.farson.com/como/comoschoolnow2.jpg

http://www.farson.com/como/comoschoolmerge2.jpg

Something about seeing youth long ago. Guess overalls were the apparel choice for boys back then...
http://www.farson.com/como/comoschoolthen1.jpg

And where they stood...
http://www.farson.com/como/comoschoolnow1.jpg

http://www.farson.com/como/comoschoolmerge1.jpg

[sfarson]

The Como General Store long ago...
http://www.farson.com/como/comostorethen.jpg

Until a few years ago it remained open. Maybe someday someone will give it a go again...
http://www.farson.com/como/comostorenow.jpg

http://www.farson.com/como/comostoremerge.jpg

Last, In the 1930's the train gave way to autos. The tracks were pulled up and operations shut down. Here's the train roundhouse in the 1950's...
http://www.farson.com/como/comoroundhousethen2.jpg

And here's the train roundhouse in 2012. It is on the National Register of Historic Places...
http://www.farson.com/como/comoroundhousenow1.jpg

The Beaver Ranch is one of the historic homesteads of Conifer, CO. In the early 1900's...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/beaverbarnthen.jpg

If it weren't for the barn would be difficult to locate. Four laned U.S. 285 and earth movers have altered the surroundings...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/beaverbarnnow.jpg

West of Colorado Springs, in the shadows of Pikes Peak, was (and is) the resort town of Manitou Springs. In the 1890's a special place to spend the night was the Baker House Hotel...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/manitouthen.jpg

And today it remains a special place...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/manitounow.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/manitoumerge.jpg

[sfarson]

Further up the canyon towards Woodland Park was (and is) the resort community of Green Mountain Falls. Back in the 1890's the motorized means to get here was the Colorado Midland Railroad. Can see the train peeking out from the other side of the depot, along with in a way, a contrast with its own past... horses and a wagon to the right...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/greenmtnfallsthen2.jpg

Autos now deliver residents and visitors with fishing poles to the same small lake...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/greenmtnfallsnow2.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/greenmtnfallsmerge2.jpg

Looking the other direction, note that spectacular Green Mountain Falls Hotel in the distance. Alas, it met the same fiery fate as many other notable wood structures did back then. FWIW, this is an excellent 1890's image...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/greenmtnfallsthen3.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/greenmtnfallsnow3.jpg

West of Denver, straddling a busy Interstate 70 is the old mining community of Dumont. Many fly past Dumont every day unaware of its past. Not much remains to tell some of the tales, but the backdrop of hills and mountains do remain as silent witnesses.

From 110 years ago. The old main street...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/dumont1then.jpg

is today's frontage road alongside Interstate 70 (behind me)...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/dumont1now.jpg

Turning the other direction, towards the south, the Dumont General Store, with the train depot in the background...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/dumont2then.jpg

Today, a relocated Clear Creek alongside a sunken interstate, along with more forested fur on hilly slopes... yeah, a bit of a change...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/dumont2now.jpg

[sfarson]

Thank you Steve. I love these then and now pictures.

Marc

Marc... Always good and a blessing to hear from you.

[DeeStylez]

:lol: Almost had a seizure looking at these old photos

Cool thread


Here is a Then photo of runway at the old Stapelton Airport
http://www.aviationphotographs.net/StapletonAirport/ThomRowland/thom-002.jpg

Now photo
http://www.stapletondenver.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/page/I-70_0.jpg

[biikChiQ]

really awesome.. look forward to more.

Sfarson, you should do the moffat tunnel somewhere in or near gilpin county if you haven't already. I would, but I think some of the roads to get there are unpaved.

[dirkterrell]

What a nice Monday morning treat. :up: I rode up to Walden a few months back.

[I`m Batman]

These pictures are freakin awesome guys. Keep them coming!

[PurpleFox]

Here is a Then photo of runway at the old Stapelton Airport
http://www.aviationphotographs.net/StapletonAirport/ThomRowland/thom-002.jpg




LOVING THIS THREAD!!!!!!! What an incredible amount of work put into getting these photos, and then digging up so much history about each town or spot in the photos.

I only just moved here a few years ago....I thought the photo above was a photoshop job. But I guess its real?!

Steve- I LOVE YOUR BOOK. I even bought a copy for a friend!

~Heather

[~Barn~]

This thread is definitely a "Best Of". Really really outstanding stuff.

[longrider]

LOVING THIS THREAD!!!!!!! What an incredible amount of work put into getting these photos, and then digging up so much history about each town or spot in the photos.

I only just moved here a few years ago....I thought the photo above was a photoshop job. But I guess its real?!

Steve- I LOVE YOUR BOOK. I even bought a copy for a friend!

~Heather

That photo is very real but it is at least 17 years old as Stapleton has been closed that long. You can still experience it in Dallas, I flew into DFW last week and it does feel strange to taxi over a road.

[Foolds]

LOVING THIS THREAD!!!!!!! What an incredible amount of work put into getting these photos, and then digging up so much history about each town or spot in the photos.

I only just moved here a few years ago....I thought the photo above was a photoshop job. But I guess its real?!

Steve- I LOVE YOUR BOOK. I even bought a copy for a friend!

~Heather

Very Real.. Used to be 2-3 Taxi Ways that Run Across i-70 At Stapleton Airport. Now the area has been re developed and Called Stapleton and Northfield. As a Kid it was super cool to watch the planes taxi over you as you sat in traffic.

[sfarson]

Well, been awhile. Some cold weather upon us, so for some virtual rides/visits...

Wandered down County 77 SE out of Jefferson in South Park. This road delivers a presentation of old, decaying, and vanished ranches. One of the oldest found images is from 130 years ago of Observatory Rock...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/tarryobservatorythen.jpg

I could hardly figure out exactly where the above was captured, so after going back and forth on the road, and not having access to the fenced off pastures, just paused here...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/tarryobservatorynow.jpg

The Dunbar Ranch ranch late 1800's...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/tarrydunbarthen.jpg

Guess I could have laid down on the ground to get the elevation better, but sometimes one only wants to put limited effort to an endeavor. 8)
http://www.farson.com/thennow/tarrydunbarnow.jpg

The Olney Ranch in the early 1900's...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/tarryolneythen.jpg

Things have been swept up since then...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/tarryolneynow.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/tarryolneymerge.jpg

[sfarson]

West and above Boulder is Nederland. West and above Nederland is Eldora. This semi-ghost town has a historic hotel still standing.

60 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/goldminer1951then.jpg

Today...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/goldminer1951now.jpg

Also about 60 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/goldminer1950then.jpg

Today...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/goldminer1950now.jpg

And 120 years ago, in 1890...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/goldminer1890then.jpg

Today...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/goldminer1890now.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/goldminer1890merge.jpg

[sfarson]

There is a ghost town, or perhaps more accurately, a ghost structure at Garo, in South Park Colorado. The town site of Garo was named after Adolph Guiraud, a nearby homesteader. I suppose it was easier pronouncing "Garo" versus "Guiraud". The old Garo school was moved to a museum. The other structures succumbed to the high altitude winds and weather.

Chub Newitt founded the general store in Garo, and its decaying remains can be seen easily from Colorado 9 between Fairplay and Hartsel. The store actually thrived for a few decades from the late 1890's to the 1920's. Chub didn't fare as well, or as long. I believe it was some ranchers who came into the store looking for some guns to buy. A shotgun was given to them to examine; it fell to the floor and it happened to have a shell in the chamber. The gun discharged, peppering Chub's rear end with buckshot. According to historical archives, he died of "blood poisoning".

Here's a short 2:25 video ride south on Colorado 9, concluding at the old Garo general store below. The fine theme song (if orchestral arrangements don't turn your stomach) from the "Black Stallion" movie accompanies. Warning... boring BMW GSADV is the transportation device :)...

Garo - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTwu5Ju9w74&feature=share&list=UUoahvrzkuxLOD6VlMOXHwtQ)

Then and now images from between 1890 and 1910...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/garothen3.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/garonow3.jpg

Closer-ups of local residents stopping by the store...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/garothen1.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/garonow1.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/garomerge1.jpg

And other locals who came by when a camera happened to do the same...
http://www.farson.com/thennow/garothen4.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/garonow4.jpg

http://www.farson.com/thennow/garomerge4.jpg