Step back in time and see how prospectors, miners, merchants, investors, and families settled the mining towns in the gold and silver-rich San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. Telluride, Ouray, and Silverton are well portrayed, as well as many of the smaller towns that are now just crumbling piles of stone and lumber. P. David Smith has also added lengthy captions that explain and point out the particulars of each photograph. This book will really give you an idea of the way it was over 100 years ago in the San Juan Mountains. Featuring more than 250 rare and historical photographs from the private collection of Ruth and Marvin Gregory, this book allows readers to venture into the mines, ride the railroads, and share the catastrophes and celebrations of yesterday s West. Including well-researched and illuminating narratives, Images of the San Juans Revised, is the true life story of an awe-inspiring area, its inhabitants, and an ever-enduring pioneer spirit.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From the Inside Flap
In Images of the San Juans noted Ouray historian P. David Smith pays tribute to two well-known Ouray historians, Ruth and Marvin Gregory. Ruth Gregory (Marvin is now deceased) and P. David Smith have reviewed literally thousands of prints, glass plates and negatives from the Gregory's extensive photograph collection. A selection of over 250 superb images devoted to key events and themes in the history of the San Juans had been included in this book - many having never been published before.
To help bring active the history behind the photographs, P. David Smith has added lively, perceptive and extensive captions and Ruth Gregory has relayed many episodes from her family history, a history gathered from six generations who have lived and worked in the San Juans. The text gives a historical tour of the San Juans and sets the photographs in context. The result is an interesting and totally unique photographic history of the beautiful and historic San Juans.
P. David Smith is a lawyer, Ouray county judge and proprietor of Ouray's Buckskin Trading Company (The San Juan History Store). He has authored or co-authored five other books on Colorado History: Ouray - Chief of the Utes, Mountain Mysteries - The Ouray Odyssey, A Quick History of Ouray, Mountains of Silver- The Story of Ouray's Red Mountain Mining District and The Million Dollar Highway. He has written numerous magazine articles and is currently working on an extensive history of Ouray, Colorado. He is a past president of the Ouray County Historical Society and frequently lectures to numerous historical and archaeological groups.
Ruth Gregory has lived in the San Juans for almost eighty years. She is a sixth generation Coloradan. Besides taking the time to increase her extensive photograph collection, Ruth also takes many photographs of her own. She also paints and writes poetry, although she has never written a book of her own, Ruth has furnished many photographs and extensive information to dozens of well-known Colorado historians.
From the Back Cover
The Ruth and Marvin Gregory Photograph Collection was affectionately put together by two people whose love for the San Juan Mountain's is evident. Now Ruth and San Juan historian P. David Smith have picked their favorites from over ten thousand prints. All of the photographs are interesting and unique and most have never been published. To Marvin and Ruth, the photos all tell a story. They are all made even more touching and provocative by the fact that Ruth and Marvin's story is told throughout the book. Ruth's family is now in its sixth generation in Colorado, her grandfather having been one of the first settlers in the San Juans. Ruth or her family actually lived the very life seen in many of the photographs from this book. Their friend, historian P. David Smith, with tenderness, humor and wonder, has supplied the captions which set the photographs in context. Here, in words and over 250 photographs, is the exciting mosaic of events and themes which record the life, landscape and times of the early San Juans.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A most fascinating book!,
By ahollifield@juno.com (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Images of the San Juans - Historic Selections from the Ruth and Marvin Gregory Photograph Collection (Hardcover)
I have a collection of more than 100 books relating to Colorado andits history. "Images of the San Juans" is my favorite.The large and well-preserved photographs from the Marvin and Ruth Gregory collection are fascinating as are the descriptions by P. David Smith. Most books offer only a sentence or two about a photograph but Mr. Smith gives a detailed description in a most interesting style. He points out small details in many of the photos which might otherwise go unnoticed. He answers questions and even raises a few of his own. I felt like I was being let in on some secrets from the past. When I received the book, I anxiously leafed through the pages and stopped on page 38. The first words I read were "A chance to look back into the past is always something special." Indeed, I enjoyed the journey through time.
4.0 out of 5 stars
History done right,
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This review is from: Images of the San Juans - Historic Selections from the Ruth and Marvin Gregory Photograph Collection (Hardcover)
I recently purchased "Images of the San Juans" to prepare for an upcoming trip I have planned for the area. This book does a great job of giving you a glimpse of life (and it was a rough life) the early minors and settlers had. One of the best features of the book is the uncanny ability of the author, P. David Smith, to bring out very subtle features found in these historical photographs. This just adds to the anticipation as you turn each page.
The price of the book is quite high. The price and size of the book place it into the revered "Coffee Table Book" category. The only fault I find with the book is the binding and quality of the paper is lacking for a book in this category. If you enjoy understanding the history behind the places you visit and if you are planning trip to Southwestern Colorado (Durango, Telluride, Ridgeway, Ouray, or Silverton) then this book is a must read.
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