Numbering about 80 mounted and unmounted albumen prints, most are by Breckenridge photographer Otto Westerman. Included among the collection are photographs related to the Finding family, such as portraits of both Agnes (Finding) Miner and her mother, Martha (Silverthorn) Finding, the Finding family posed in front of their Breckenridge home, and Charles A. Finding's hardware store on Main Street, Breckenridge. Of interest are the albumen prints dating from the late 1890s that were showcased in a small 12 panel album. Removed for preservation purposes, these prints are of local residents and snowy landscapes taken during the “Big Snow” of 1898-1899. Several photographs are of men, women, and children either posed near or peering through the openings of snow tunnels that were used to access Main Street, Breckenridge businesses.
Miner, Agnes E. (Finding)Ski trails on a mountain slope with alpenglow (rosy light of a setting or rising sun seen on high mountains). At an unidentified ski area in Colorado.
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Postcard, "Colorado Windows" by John Topolnicki. Scalloped edges. Caption on the reverse: "Winterscapes of Summit County, Colorado" and "Not even the chill of Winter can dampen the beauty of the majestic Ten Mile Range peaks that loom above (13,000 ft.) from a far-away sea level."
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Postcard, "Colorado Photography" by John Topolnicki. Scalloped edges. Caption on the reverse includes the four (4) b's Breckenridge logo: "Arapahoe Basin; Colorful Colorado; 68 miles west of Denver - US-6 Off I-70; 11 miles east of Dillon and I-70 Interchange" and "Located on the Continental Divide at an elevation of 10,800 - 12,500 the highest ski area in the country. Normal season runs from early November well into June. Modern lifts - comfortable double chairs and fast Poma lifts of varying lengths."
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Postcard, a "Colorado SPECTA-VUE" by John Topolnicki. Caption on the reverse: "Arapahoe Basin Ski Area; U S 6 - Western Slope of Loveland Pass Colorado - Ski Country U. S. A." and "Alpine skiing on (12,500') Mt. Norway from November to June. Serviced by (3) double chair lifts and (5) Poma lifts."
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Postcard, "Colorado Photography" by John Topolnicki. Caption on the reverse includes the four (4) b's Breckenridge logo: "Breckenridge Ski Area; I-70/US 6 and Colorado 9; Ski Country; Colorado" and "Foot of the Steep Run served by B-50 Poma lift. Degree of Difficulty - Advanced."
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Skiers slide down the slopes to the Bergenhof Bar and Restaurant. The restaurant opened the day before the first official opening of the Breckenridge ski area on December 16, with a party to mark the start of the 1961 season. It was one of three original buildings that made up the Peak 8 base area facilities. It was demolished in 2013.
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Title quoted from handwritten text on the item: "Bergenhof Chalet, Breckenridge Ski Area". The Bergenhof restaurant opened the day before the first official opening of the ski area on December 16, with a party to mark the start of the 1961 season. It was one of three original buildings that made up the Peak 8 base area facilities. It was demolished in 2013. The facility on the right is the ski lift terminal for Chairlift 1.
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Title quoted from handwritten text on the item: "Bergenhof Chalet, Breckenridge Ski Area". The Bergenhof restaurant opened the day before the first official opening of the ski area on December 16, with a party to mark the start of the 1961 season. It was one of three original buildings that made up the Peak 8 base area facilities. It was demolished in 2013. The facility on the right is the ski lift terminal for Chairlift 1.
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Postcard, "Colorado Photography" by John Topolnicki. Scalloped edges. Caption on the reverse includes the four (4) b's Breckenridge logo: "Bergenhof Chalet; Breckenridge Mountain Ski Area; Off U S Highway 6 - On Colorado 9; Ski Country; Colorado" and "Rest and Refresh at the Bergenhof. Catch the view from the sundeck. Then back up the slopes again. The whole Valley below - a panorama of beauty long remembered."
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Postcard, "The Hanging Tree" by John Topolnicki. Scalloped edges. Caption on the reverse: "Bergenhof Chalet; Breckenridge Mountain Ski Area; Off I-70, U.S. 6 - On Colorado 9; Ski Country; Colorado" and "Rest and Refresh at the Bergenhof. Catch the view from the sundeck. Then back up the slopes again. The whole valley below - a panorama of beauty long remembered."
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Postcard, "Colorado Photography" by John Topolnicki. Caption on the reverse includes the four (4) b's Breckenridge logo: "Breckenridge Ski Area; I-70/US 6 and Colorado 9; Ski Country; Colorado" and "Base Area facilities with Bergenhof at right and Peak 8 slopes in background. Degree of difficulty - Beginner - Intermediate and Advanced." One of six detachable postcards folded into a packet.
Postcard, "Colorado Windows" by John Topolnicki. Scalloped edges. Caption on the reverse includes the Keystone Ski Area logo: "Keystone Ski Area; 72 mi. west of Denver - I-70/US-6; 5 mi. east of Dillon" and "One of Keystone's many broad ski-ways, (Bobtail) - groomed for skiers pleasures - amidst the tall timbers."
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Breckenridge, Colorado, looking west, with a view of the snowy peaks of the Tenmile Range in the background. A dirt road winds through the trees in the foreground. Circa 1882-1909.
UnidentifiedView of the town of Breckenridge at dawn. Looking southeast with snow-covered Bald Mountain in the background.
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Title quoted from handwritten text on the item: "Breckenridge Ski Area and Breckenridge at Dawn". Colorado, circa 1967.
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Breckenridge ski area facilities and parking lot at the base of Peak 8. The buildings, from left to right: ski school meeting place, operations building and ticket office (nicknamed "Ullrhom") and a ski shop. The practice hill and T-bar lift (a type of surface lift usually found on beginner ski slopes) are east of the facilities and parking lot. On January 10, 1966 the recently completed Ullrhom building exploded, killing one man and injuring 12 others. The cause was a suspected propane gas leak.
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Title quoted from handwritten text on the item: "Breckenridge Ski Area". Shows skiers on Chairlift 1 and Peak 8 base area facilities. The building on the left is the Bergenhof Bar and Restaurant; on the right is Chairlift 1 lift terminal. Parking lots in background.
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Postcard, a "Colorado SPECTA-VUE" by John Topolnicki. Caption on the reverse: "Breckenridge Ski Area Off U. S. Highway 6 - On Colorado 9 Colorado - Ski Country U. S. A." and "Breckenridge Ski School Director Trygve Berge in a parallel delayed shoulder turn."
Topolnicki Sr., John A.Two female ski instructors demonstrate to a children's ski school class how to secure the ski pole strap around the wrist. At the base of Peak 8 of the Breckenridge Ski Area, during the 1970-1971 ski season.
Topolnicki Sr., John A.