Central City photo chronology exercise

Posted by Dave Eggleston on
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Central-City-photo-chronology-exercise-tp10258.html

Hey guys, I’ve been lurking for a bit and thought I should make a first post to help pay back for the great information I’ve picked up on the Forum. Sorry it's a long one.

I’ve been looking on and off at Central City as a future layout subject, triggered by Rick’s great map in the files section and Abbott’s books on the Gilpin and CCRR. Digging through the dozens of photos out there online and in books created some confusion over what was in place when. So I've I taken a stab at creating an evolution of the spurs, chutes and businesses north of the yard from 1879 to the 1920s (Central City mine to the crossing at Spring Street) through using changes to key structures in the photos. It’s been a fun exercise and surprising how much operational interest existed outside the actual yard. Now if I just had 24’ to build the layout to scale!

The Temple of Fashion (Forrester’s Hall) murals from 1876 to after the C&S abandonment seemed a good starting point, and I found at least 8 mural variations. Next I looked at Hawley’s warehouse (at least 5 variants) and the Armory (at least 6) and started to relate those to the Temple of Fashion/Forrester’s murals where I could. Then I looked at when other buildings show up or change in relation to Hawley’s, the Armory and Forrester’s Hall: Zang’s, Reef’s, the coal bins, the coal shed, a house showing up on the corner at Bourion and Nevada in ca 1898, changes to the baseball field, the building that would add a second floor and eventually get the AOUW mural. Equipment in photos offered clues as did the rare dating written on pictures. Cross-referencing photos with Sanborn (1886, 1890, 1895 and 1900) and Rick’s map focused the order further.

Next, I put 80 photos from online sources into powerpoint creating a sortable deck (unique book photos still need to be added). Rough grouping emerged quickly. There are holes but it’s coming together; it’s early in the process and I haven’t referenced any other primary sources so I expect some mistakes at the moment.  But I think I’m on to something I wanted to share for thoughts and input as I solidify a spreadsheet covering the photos.

I’ve set up 11 groupings, which I’ll walk through, with a single example for each grouping. I'm including links but if photos are preferred I can edit this with those. Just seemed it would make the post way too long.

1 - Temple of Fashion/Dry Goods Carpet mural; Hawley flat roofed but missing warehouse section to south and the chute is there; the Armory is unpainted and mostly unlettered – 1878  see: DPL x-11619 http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/9619/rec/1
2 - Temple of Fashion (with lower half painted out) mural; Hawley flat roofed now with addition to south and enclosed chute; Armory now has Westman & Newall sign; dump coal bins siding – ca 1880 see: DPL x-11622 http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/9663/rec/1
3 - Blackwell’s Durham mural; Hawley structure flat roofed; Armory still Westman & Newall; dump coal bins now missing; bonus: DSPP boxcar at Hawley – ca 1885? see: DPL Chs.x4700 http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll21/id/10737/rec/1
4 - Bros Pouch mural; Hawley still flat roofed; Armory now has Armory sign on roof truss and is unpainted; baseball field single grandstand structure; bonus: a worn out DSPP boxcar at Hawley – ca 1887-89?  see: DPL x-2550 http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/78659/rec/2
5 - Beeman’s Gum mural; Hawley flat roofed with worn Woodward billboard on south wall; Armory is unchanged; Zang’s building appears; house at Bourion corner (three lots up from the Armory) appears – ca 1896-99  see DPL x-2533 http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/78620/rec/1
6 - Beeman’s Gum mural; Hawley now peak roofed but not yet lettered for Hawley; Zang’s; Armory with truss roof (façade not visible) – ca 1898-1900 see: DPL L-27 http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/70907/rec/3 
7 - Beeman’s Gum mural; Hawley now lettered for Hawley and Woodward billboard gone; Armory unchanged; house at Bourion; single grandstand at baseball field; building that will sport AUOW sign appears but without the mural; Zang’s -- ca 1900 see: DPL x-2530 http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/78861/rec/1
8 - Beeman’s Gum mural; Hawley unchanged; Armory now painted white; house at Bourion; single grandstand at baseball field; Zang’s; building that will sport AOUW mural still not painted – ca 1902 see: DPL L-579 http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/70898/rec/1http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/70898/rec/1
9 - Forrester Hall “Ms<…>” (billboard cropped) mural. This doesn’t show any rail facility but AOUW billboard now present .  Ca 1903? see: DPL x-2653  http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/326/rec/1
10 - Forrester Hall Dry Climate mural; Hawley’s and all other buildings as before; now Neef’s beer warehouse on south side of Hawley’s; bonus: early C&S lettered boxcars – ca 1905 see: DPL x-2596 http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/78615/rec/1http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/78615/rec/1
11 - Forrester Hall OWL mural; all buildings unchanged expect for doubling size of baseball grandstand and the coal shed across from ball field south of Neef’s– ca 1910 to post-C&S see: DPL x-11614 http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/9670/rec/1

Questions:
- Does this already exist and I've missed it?
- For Group 9 – can anyone identify the cropped mural on Forrester’s Hall? I feel I’ve seen it somewhere.
 - Any insights on the cars that appear in the above photos to help with dating? I’m looking at my resources but feel this group can tighten some dates.
- Is this useful to anyone?

Dave Eggleston
Seattle, WA