Inside the Jessie Stamp Mill mill in Gold Run, northeast of Breckenridge, Colorado. Title quoted from handwritten caption on card mount: "Interior view of Stamp Mill."
Westerman, OttoJ. Frank Willis gave this souvenir album as a gift to his sister, Pauline (Willis) Merritt. The album contains photographs by Breckenridge photographer Otto Westerman. Various subjects include town views, mine site landscapes, railroad tracks through gulches and Willis' property on Gibson Hill. Some are of the Ten Mile Canyon outside of Frisco, Colorado, and one photograph is of Tom's Baby (the largest piece of wire gold found in Colorado).
Westerman, OttoA dog guides a line of burros hauling ore in pack saddles, Summit County, Colorado. Title quoted from handwritten caption on card mount: "Jack train loaded with Ore."
Westerman, OttoHydraulic mining at Kingsbury Placer (later called Banner Placer) in Iowa Gulch, northwest of Breckenridge, Colorado. Men stand by as a hydraulic pipe with high pressure nozzle, called a "Giant", forcefully directs water at the hillside. A wooden sluice carries water above piles of discarded rock and small tree branches.
Westerman, OttoSnowy landscape view of Breckenridge, Colorado, looking east toward the railroad tracks on Barney Ford Hill. Plumes of smoke are visible rising from the rotary snowplow railroad engines. Bald Mountain in the background. Handwritten on the reverse: "Last train out of Breckenridge beginning of the 78 day blockade Feb 5 at noon showing rotary 1899". During the "Big Snow" event of 1898-1899.
Westerman, OttoLog cabins and structures are buried under deep snow, somewhere near Breckenridge, Colorado.
Westerman, OttoLog cabins and structures are buried under deep snow, somewhere near Breckenridge, Colorado. Title quoted from handwritten text on the reverse: "Telegraph station at Boreas Pass" and "No. - Never this many cabins at Boreas." Stamped twice: "O. Westerman, Photographer, Breckenridge, - Colorado."
Westerman, OttoLooking west from High Street down Lincoln Avenue in Breckenridge, Colorado, circa 1890-1899. The two-story frame schoolhouse on Harris Street stands prominently in view. Built in 1882, the school featured a bell tower centered on the multi-gabled roof. The large white frame building in the left background is St. Mary's Catholic Church on French Street, before it had a bell tower (installed in 1899). Far right, on the north end of French Street is Father Dyer United Methodist Church, at its original location before the courthouse was built on the same lot in 1908.
Westerman, OttoJusten G. "Jess" Oakley and Eli Fletcher carry the mail down snow-covered Main Street, Breckenridge, during the "Big Snow" event of 1898-1899. The men volunteered to ski over Boreas Pass to Como, where the Denver, South Park and Pacific (DSP&P) railway was stopped. Heavy snowstorms prevented trains from delivering mail, fresh food and other supplies. Quoted from handwritten text on the reverse: "US mail via snow shoe winter of the 78 day blockade".
Westerman, OttoMain Street, Breckenridge, Colorado on May 10, 1899 with four feet of snow. Title quoted from handwritten caption on card mount: "Main St. Breckenridge four ft of Snow, May 10th 1889."
Westerman, OttoLooking north down snow-covered Main Street, Breckenridge, Colorado in mid-winter. False front and wood frame buildings line both sides of the street. In the foreground a lone man stands in front of Breckenridge Masonic Lodge No. 47. Adjacent the Lodge is the Arcade Hotel. The fire hall's hose drying tower stands prominently above the rooflines. Title quoted from handwritten caption on card mount: "Main St of Breckenridge in mid Winter."
Westerman, OttoMembers of Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Blue River Lodge No. 49 pose for a group portrait dressed in sack suits and the ceremonial I.O.O.F. sash. Most are wearing white gloves. The men stand side by side or sit in chairs placed in rows along the wooden boardwalk and on the dirt packed street. The photograph was taken in front of a wooden building with large four-pane casement windows, probably in Dillon, Colorado.
Westerman, OttoMen stand on the engine and processing house or behind the bucket line of the Reliance dredge after renovations. Circa 1909. At French Gulch east of Breckenridge, Colorado. The Reliance, built under Ben Stanley Revett and the Reliance Gold Dredging Company, started operations in 1905. By 1906 it was working between the Wellington and Country Boy Mines in French Gulch. It changed over from steam to electric power in 1908.
Westerman, OttoMen stand on the engine and processing house, or sit on the platform below, of the Reliance dredge after renovations. Circa 1909 at French Gulch east of Breckenridge, Colorado. The Reliance, built under Ben Stanley Revett and the Reliance Gold Dredging Company, started operations in 1905. By 1906 it was working between the Wellington and Country Boy Mines in French Gulch. It changed over from steam to electric power in 1908.
Westerman, OttoMen haul lumber on the backs of burros in Summit County, Colorado. Title quoted from handwritten caption on card mount: "Mode of hauling Lumber by a jack train".
Westerman, OttoMonument made from a pile of rocks on the summit of Bald Mountain, east of Breckenridge, Colorado. Snow-covered peaks of the Ten Mile Range in the background. Title quoted from handwritten caption on card mount: "Monument erected by Tourists on the Summit of Bould [sic] Mountain."
Westerman, OttoView of Mount Guyot at the head of French Gulch, southeast of Breckenridge, Colorado. Title quoted from handwritten caption on card mount: "Mount Gyot [sic] at the head of French gulch."
Westerman, OttoMount Silverheels, Park County, Colorado. Title quoted from handwritten caption on card mount: "Mount Silverheels, near Breckenridge."
Westerman, OttoDenver, South Park and Pacific (DSP&P) railway between Boreas Pass and Breckenridge, Colorado. In the background is Peak 8 of the Tenmile Range. In the 1880s-1900s, Breckenridge locals called the mountain Peak Tilly Ann, named after Matilda Silverthorn and Ann Remine, the two young women that allegedly first climbed Peak 8. Title quoted from handwritten caption on card mount: "Mount Tillyann near Breckenridge."
Westerman, OttoView from Brewery Hill toward Farncomb Hill of mining operations in Georgia and American gulches by the Wapiti Mining Company, northeast of Breckenridge, Colorado, in 1895. Title quoted from handwritten caption on card mount: "North slope of Farncom [sic] hill showing the location of the principal Gold mine."
Westerman, Otto