Tonight we set our WABAC Machine to September 11, 2009 when Lisa and I finally got a chance to get out of town for just a few days so we rent a place up in Breckenridge for two nights. We took our time getting there making several stops along the way including a stop in Idaho Springs. They have a Visitor Center like most towns here in Colorado and we stopped by the gather some material and I decided to check out the history museum. Well, if you know anything about Railroads in Colorado then you know Steam passed through here and they had a nice display about that history.
Historical Information One of the plaques inside the display contained historical information. One of the pieces of information talks about where the Colorado and Southern Depot once resided as well as it's current location and use.
Historical Photo Also within the display is a photograph of the Idaho Springs depot where it originally stood. Note in the previous post that the text said that this depot was on 4th Street now 14th Street. I also have other reference material that shows photos of Idaho Springs from that same period so I have information on track location and buildings along the track. [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica][/FONT]
Historical Idaho Springs Photo One more photo from the Museum Display shows Idaho Springs when the Colorado and Southern operated within the town. I have added some labels that I will explain in the next post. Right now I want you to find the "Depot" label that is right above the C&S Depot as it originally stood. Also notice the "Train" in the photo as it is making it's way around the curve and how the track is orientated with the buildings.
Modern Idaho Sptings - Google Earth View While at the museum we picked up the "Idaho Springs Walking Tour" guide ($5) which has great information about the historical buildings that still stand plus some historical photos. From all these various reference materials you can now identify the historical builds by name as well as the exact location as they exist today for those still standing. Remember those "Numbers" I placed on the photo earlier, they are the "Idaho Springs Walking Tour" building numbers. So, using Google Earth, I can label those same buildings and use them for reference points. Note the Depot is gone (more on that later) and the Static Display of 2-8-0 C&S Steam Engine #60 and passenger cars is actually on the old track right where the train in the old picture was making a curve... So, one can now clearly say where the C&S Depot once stood and how the track went through town. If Idaho Springs changes massively one can use Google Earth which maintains historical satellite images of the city back to 1999 and match future Idaho Springs to today and back to these historical photos and figure out where things once were. Next time anyone is in Idaho Springs take time to look East and West on "Idaho" which is a walkway south of Miner Street as you are standing on old C&S roadbed when mining was a major industry here.
Building #54 - Roberts Brothers Mercantile Company Warehouse I marked a couple of the buildings in BLUE rather then RED to highlight them with photos I took from the old road bed since you could still see their RR history. Remember Build #54 that was marked as a Vacant Lot in the B&W shot, well here it is today... [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica][/FONT]
Building #46a - Worth's Saloon (Now Buffalo Bar and Restaurant) Here is the backside of Building #46b (John Rohner) and #46a (Worth's Saloon) which today combined make up the Buffalo Restaurant. You can see the Freight Platform that was for Worth's Saloon. A bit farther down is a RED fence which is the back of Building #44 (Shields-Cooper Building). Now look clear down to the end of the walkway you can see C&S Engine #60; this is how the train would have looked as it turned down around the curve heading towards these buildings. [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica][/FONT]
Building #46a (Worth's Saloon) Here is another angle of the Worth's Saloon freight platform [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica][/FONT]
C&S Steam Engine #60 (2-8-0) Behind City Hall (#40 - Grass Valley School House; Moved from 2325 Miner Street) sits Colorado and Southern Steam Engine #60. It is the only narrow gauge steam engine sitting on it's original roadbed in the country. [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] I have more photos of the Engine / Cars from earlier trips that I can post if folks are interested...
ARGO Gold Mine and Mill One of the two major reasons the Colorado and Southern operated in Idaho Springs was GOLD Mining. Here are a few views of the ARGO Gold Mine and Mill along with a Mining Train Engine and Cars. [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
Hot Soda Springs The other industry was Tourism as people flocked here to use the springs... [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica][/FONT]
Idaho Springs Here is a wider view of Idaho Springs using Google Earth where I have marked a few items. First notice in the Upper-Left is where the C&S Depot now resides as a Private Residence. Cross over to the right and you can see that I have marked where the Section House still stands today. Go down from there and note the location again where the C&S Depot originally stood. The RED line marks where the track was from the Depot to the ARGO Mill. As it made the curve the tracks crossed over Miner Street right in front of the road bridge. The track then followed down what is now Riverside Drive to ARGO Mill
Miner Street Bridge In looking through historical photos of when the C&S operated in Idaho Springs I have seen the Miner Street Bridge as it existed when the track passed in front of it and it's the same bridge that exists today. Seems folks knew how to build road bridges in those days to last; kind of reminds you of a railroad bridge design doesn't it! [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica][/FONT]
C&S Depot Today The Idaho Springs Colorado and Southern Depot is now a Private Residence ([FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]39°43'31.76"N 105°33'12.97"W[/FONT]). I didn't take any photographs on this trip but rather then having look at any of my old topics for a photo here is one I took in 2006. [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica][/FONT]
C&S Section House Today The Idaho Springs Colorado and Southern Section House still sits in it's original location ([FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]39°44'38.30"N 105°31'59.11"W[/FONT]) and here too is a photo I took in 2006. [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica][/FONT]
Argentine Central After getting some other historic buildings and monuments in Idaho Springs we traveled to Georgetown to get a few photographs of some of the historic buildings in downtown there too. We would then travel up I70 to Silver Plume. So, one might think we were there to catch the Georgetown Loop but no, we were looking for the Argentine Central rail-bed that started in Silver Plume. We found what we were looking for!!!!!!! Got the GPS out and recorded the location...
