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...


Apex today, a semi-ghost town about five miles NW of Central City...


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...


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)...


Tracks were laid over the Boreas Pass summit to haul ores from Leadville to Denver...


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...


The Cathedral Spires along the North Fork of the South Platte...


Two rails then, two wheels today...


The pastoral Dedisse Ranch above Evergreen...


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...

[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...


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...

Gold Hill is the location of one of Colorado's earliest gold strikes. An image from around 1890...


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...


A thrilling road just for owners of new fangled cars was built above Golden around 1920...


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...


Marshall Pass about 70 years ago...


And today...


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...


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!

[sfarson]

An 1890's hacked out road just south of Ouray...


Today's famed Million Dollar Highway...


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...


Today about 100 call Victor home. Most downtown structures are empty...


Looking west towards Westcliffe in 1900, towards the dramatic Sangre de Cristos Range...


Well, someone has surely came along since then with some seeds or seedlings!

[~Barn~]

Nice thread! Thanks for sharing.

[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/forum...ad.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!!!

[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!

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!!!

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

[DemonRider]

[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...


A riding friend and I wandered all over the place trying to find the location of the above...


The Hartsel hotel...


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...


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...


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.