Justen 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, OttoA young girl looks through a snow tunnel on Main Street, Breckenridge, during the winter of the "Big Snow" of 1898-1899. In the background two women stand in front of the Livery building. Quoted from handwritten text on the reverse: "Big snow 1899".
Westerman, OttoA woman wearing a hat and fur-collared coat stands at the end of a path cleared in the snow outside of George Watson's house in Breckenridge, Colorado. Looking east with Barney Ford Hill and Bald Mountain (Mount Baldy) in the background. Handwritten caption on the reverse: "Breckenridge Big Snow 1899".
UnidentifiedSnowy 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, OttoA convoy of train engines on snowy Boreas Pass head for Breckenridge, Colorado. Handwritten on the reverse: "Probably the relief train comi[ng] on top Boreas Pass heading for Breckenridge 1899".
UnidentifiedHardcover photograph album. Single photographs inserted into a paper enclosure sleeve; each sleeve has an open viewing window that frames the image. Title quoted from handwritten text on the inside cover: "Snow Scenes around Breckenridge, Colo. Winter 1899". The front and back cover have a purple floral print on a green background. "Photos" is embossed in silver print on the front cover. The spine has a wide band with a silver embossed pattern on a cream background.
Two girls stand in the entrance of a snow tunnel during the winter of the "Big Snow" of 1898-1899. They wear berets and are dressed in wool coats with fur-trimmed capelet. Behind them is the Livery building on the east side of Main Street, Breckenridge. Handwritten on the reverse: "One of my best efforts".
UnidentifiedA shoveled path in the deep snow leads to the back entrance of the Gough's house in Breckenridge, Colorado during the winter of the "Big Snow" event in 1898-1899.
UnidentifiedTall snow banks flank the sides of a shoveled path leading to a house in Breckenridge, Colorado, during the "Big Snow" winter of 1898-1899. Minnie Roby, dressed in a hat, scarf and long coat, stands on the cleared path. A man and woman (probably Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert) are at the front door.
UnidentifiedA woman wearing a hat and fur-collared coat stands at the end of a deep trench cleared in the snow outside of George Watson's house in Breckenridge, Colorado. Looking east with Barney Ford Hill and Bald Mountain (Mount Baldy) in the background. Handwritten caption on the reverse: "View from y'd at G.B. Watsons April 20th '99".
UnidentifiedDuring the "Big Snow" event of 1898-1899, Ezra Stewart, in dark cape overcoat and hat, and his wife, Ada, walk a dog with William Briggle on the snowy road in front of Briggle's snow-loaded house on Harris Street in Breckenridge, Colorado.
UnidentifiedMelting snowbank exposes a tunnel on the west side of Main Street, Breckenridge, in April 1899. A man interacts with a dog in the foreground. Behind them stands two false-front buildings and the side gabled Silverthorn Hotel. "April 14th, '99" is handwritten on the reverse.
UnidentifiedPeople sit or stand on the concrete sidewalk in front of the commercial buildings that line the west side of Main Street, Breckenridge, Colorado, probably sometime after 1912. The snow-covered peaks of the Tenmile mountain range can be seen in the background.
Westerman, OttoLooking northwest toward Breckenridge from Barney Ford Hill. The large flat area in the foreground is the baseball field. Piles of riverbed rock are left behind by the dredges along the west side of town. Pictured off center to the right, the 1880-constructed Methodist Episcopal Church (M.E. Church) with bell and belfry, painted white, stands prominently on North French Street (in 1909 the Summit County Courthouse was built on this lot just south of the church). St. Mary's Church with bell and belfry, added in 1899, is also in view on French Street, dating this photograph circa 1899-1909.
UnidentifiedThe Finding residence on North Main Street, Breckenridge. Charles stands beside the open gate and his wife Martha holds the reins of a horse on the front lawn. Their daughters, Charline Antoinette "Tonnie" (in dark dress) and Agnes (wearing a striped dress under a white pinafore) stand on the street side of the fence. Laying on the ground between them are two dogs, probably the family's pets. An unpainted picket fence encloses the tree-covered property and in the front yard is a large water fountain.
UnidentifiedNorthwest view overlooking the town of Breckenridge, Colorado, and the hookeye curve of the railroad tracks below Barney Ford Hill. Quoted from handwritten text on the reverse: "Breckenridge in NW, Nigger Hill, center. Hookeye curve foreground". Circa 1882-1890s.
UnidentifiedCharles A. Finding (left) and another man stand in the doorway of Finding's redstone-front hardware store. A coal burning or parlor stove is visible through the open door. Etched in the glass window above the doorway is "C.A. Finding"; painted across the window frame are the words "Stoves, Tinware, Steam & Gas Fittings, Rope, Iron, Steel and Nails". The reflection of buildings across the street is visible in the large storefront windows. Adjacent the sidewalk and street is a standing water spigot. Quote from handwritten text on the reverse: "Finding Hardware Store - Mrs. Miner's father".
UnidentifiedInterior of the C.A. Finding Hardware Store on Main Street, Breckenridge, Colorado, circa 1894. Charles Finding, in suitcoat and necktie, leans on a desk against the wall. Another well-dressed man stands nearby. Potted plants line the shelf above and in the window. Calendars (dated 1891, 1892, 1893 and 1894) and illustrated posters and prints decorate the wall. A wooden spindle railing separates the office area from public space, with an ornate parlor stove on either side. Another desk, a bookcase and office chairs furnish the room and the corner edge of a glass case is visible in the foreground. Quoted from handwritten text on the reverse: "Probably Mr. Miner's office in his hardware store Breckenridge. Calendar on wall - October 1894".
UnidentifiedSouthwest view overlooking toward the town of Breckenridge. Snow-covered peaks of the Tenmile Range (including Mt. Quandary, Mt. Helen, Peak 10 and Peak 9) in the background. In the foreground is a wood structure. Handwritten on the reverse is "Breckenridge Colo". Circa 1890s.
UnidentifiedTrain depot and railroad tracks on Boreas Pass, east of Breckenridge. A man leans against a wood utility pole flanked by two walls of snow that reach the gable of the depot building behind him. In the background are snow-covered mountains. Handwritten on the reverse: "Top of Boreas Pass, Depot, remains of snow tunnel" and stamped "O. Westerman, Photographer, Breckenridge, Colorado". Circa 1899.
Westerman, Otto