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 house in Breckenridge, Colorado, is covered in snow during the "Big Snow" winter of 1898-1899. Captioned on the reverse: "House in Breckenridge 1899".
Westerman, OttoMain Street, Breckenridge, buried under snow during the "Big Snow" event of 1898-1899. Snow tunnels were used to access businesses because heavy snowfall had reached the second story of most buildings. The upper half of R.C. McKillif's false-fronted Livery business is in view across the street. Two dogs and people stand outside on the snow-covered boardwalk. Quoted from text handwritten on the reverse: "Main Street February 5th 1899. Breckenridge Miner (Miner)".
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, OttoPeople 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, OttoEdwin Carter's log cabin house and museum on Ridge Street in Breckenridge during the winter. The one story front gable log cabin with shed addition was built in 1875. A wooden split rail fence encloses the snow-covered property. Town buildings and a view of snowy Tenmile Range in the background. Title quoted from handwritten text on the reverse: "The old Carter museum showing Peak 8 Breckenridge". Circa 1900s.
Westerman, OttoTrain 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, OttoA man stands on top of the snow where a tunnel has been dug to access the Boreas post office, on the Boreas Pass route to Breckenridge. A shovel leans against the tunnel entrance, above a sign is stuck in the snow with the words: "Post Office". Printed on the lower right corner of the photograph is: "50 ft. Tunnel to P.O." Handwritten on the reverse: "Top of Boreas Pass" and "Miner[?]". Photographer's stamp: "O. Westerman. Photographer, Breckenridge, - Colorado."
Westerman, OttoView looking through the wood-framed railroad snowshed on Boreas Pass, along the Boreas Pass route from Como to Breckenridge, Colorado. Handwritten on the reverse: "Snowshed - Boreas Pass" and stamped "O. Westerman, Photographer, Breckenridge, - Colorado."
Westerman, OttoA man stands near a cabin snowed in at Boreas Pass. Photographer's stamp: "O. Westerman Photographer Breckenridge, Colorado" and handwritten "cabin in mid winter snowed in at Boreas Pass".
Westerman, OttoA young girl stands in the doorway of a rough hewn log structure. Handwritten on the reverse: "This may be the telegraph station on Boreas Pass" and photographer's stamp: "O. Westerman, Photographer, Breckenridge, - Colorado." Circa 1890s.
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, OttoHand-colored photograph shows the Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. and Breckenridge Masonic Lodge No. 47 procession walking east on Lincoln Avenue for the laying of the Summit County Courthouse cornerstone. The ceremony was held on July 31, 1909. Handwritten on the reverse: "Masonic Parade." Photographer's stamp: "O. Westerman, Photographer, Breckenridge, - Colorado."
Westerman, OttoThree-story building in a canyon near Bailey, Colorado. Title quoted from handwritten text on reverse of item: "Glen Isle in Platte Canyon above Bailey." Photographer's stamp: "O. Westerman, Photographer, Breckenridge, - Colorado."
Westerman, OttoView of a mountain range and a river in the valley below. In the foreground are trees and one utility pole. Stamped on the reverse is "O. Westerman, Photographer, Breckenridge, - Colorado."
Westerman, OttoFour people sit in a rowboat near the edge of Black Lake in the Gore Range mountains with Mount Powell in the background. Handwritten on the reverse "Blake [sic] Lake. Below Dillon showing Mount Powell 500 feet above [illegible] the lake." Photographer's stamp: "O. Westerman, Photographer, Breckenridge, - Colorado."
Westerman, OttoView of a waterfall in the Spruce Creek drainage, south of Breckenridge. Handwritten on the reverse: "Spruce Creek Falls." Photogragher's stamp: "O. Westerman, Photographer, Breckenridge, Colo."
Westerman, OttoView of the South Platte River running through a narrow, steep canyon. Handwritten on the reverse: "in the canon [sic] near south Platte." Photographer's stamp: "O. Westerman, Photographer, Breckenridge, - Colorado."
Westerman, OttoStudents pose outside with their teacher in front of the windows of a clapboard building, probably the 1882-built schoolhouse located on Harris Street in Breckenridge, Colorado. The wood frame schoolhouse was torn down and replaced with a brick structure in 1909. On the reverse is handwritten: "school pix - (?)".
Westerman, Otto