Our current exhibit,
"Voices from Golden's Past," includes a wonderful
collection of correspondence-related artifacts and
signage. Included in the display cases are old postcards
showing Golden at the turn of the century, antique
typewriters, and Pony Express memorabilia (did you know
that Buffalo Bill Cody was one of the youngest of the
Pony Express riders?).
Letter-writing was very important to early settlers of
the west. Before telegraphs or telephones were
installed, letters were the only means of communicating
with the friends and family that the pioneers left
behind.
Perhaps the most interesting inclusion in the Voices
exhibit are actual letters written by some of Golden's
earliest settlers. These letters are, of course, old and
in some cases difficult to read, but well worth the
effort. Following is an excerpt from one of the letters
we have on display. It describes a grim chapter in
Colorado history:
Golden City Col
Ter
Sept the 3 1866
Dear Sister,
I received your welcome letter about three weeks ago
but could not answer it on the account of the mail
being stopt it was stopt on the account of the
Indians the Indians has been very bad on the plains
this summer they have kill a good many & have taken
some familys (sic) prisoners we got through just in
time just the week before we got to Denver there was
a family killed a man & his wife & two children they
was cut up in the most cruel manner....
The
exhibit includes a number of other letters, well worth
perusing. Stop in and review some chapters from our
past, written by the people who lived them.
