Jan MacKell Collins Archives - Colorado Central Magazine

For Sale: The Former Brothel of Cockeyed Liz

April 1, 2019 by Mike Rosso

By Jan MacKell Collins If you have ever dreamt of owning an historic brothel, now is your chance. The former House of Joy, once owned by Buena Vista’s “Cockeyed Liz,” is for sale. There is much to be said about this charming little property, located right downtown on Main Street. Most interesting is its former …

The Ghost Train of Marshall Pass

July 10, 2020January 10, 2019 by Mike Rosso

By Jan MacKell Collins At 10,846 feet in elevation, Marshall Pass remains among one of Colorado’s precarious roads. The pass, located in the Sawatch Range between Salida and Gunnison, was discovered by Lieutenant William Marshall in 1873 as he was making a mad dash in search of a Denver dentist for a bad toothache. But …

Leadville Through the Eyes of Leslie’s Illustrated, 1879

April 15, 2020December 15, 2018 by Mike Rosso

By Jan MacKell Collins During the 1870s and beyond, people in the eastern half of America were eagerly reading about pioneer adventures in the West. Only handfuls of them actually knew somebody who dared to sell what they could, pack what remained into a wagon, and set out to begin a new life in a …

A Town Called Trump?

September 5, 2018September 1, 2018 by Mike Rosso

By Jan MacKell Collins No, no, not that Trump. His Donaldness has not made a visit to our fair state since before his election, back when he was just a paltry billionaire seeking our votes. He might come to Colorado again, but something really catastrophic needs to occur for that to happen – like a …

Top 10 Worst Ghost Towns in Colorado: Part Two

September 7, 2018April 1, 2018 by Mike Rosso

By Jan MacKell Collins

Elkton – Boom and Bust

Named for the nearby Elkton Mine in 1894, this town in the world-famous Cripple Creek District once had a population of 2,500 people. All three railroads of the District once served Elkton, and a special siding was constructed for the sole purpose of transporting gold ore from the Elkton, the Cresson, and other big mines. In Elkton proper, streets of the community were laid out in tidy rows on the hillside, with miner’s cabins and small houses lining up next to one another. There was a school, plus several restaurants and shops, and a post office which opened in 1895. Being a family town, Elkton had only one saloon.

Book Review: Lost Ghost Towns of Teller County

October 11, 2016August 1, 2016 by Mike Rosso

Reviewed by Forrest Whitman By Jan Mackell Collins History Press, 2016 ISBN 878.146713.512.2 This author has done a commendable job of researching the lost ghost towns around Cripple Creek and other Teller County locations. Her attention to detail is excellent. The book might entice one to try and find some of the sites, or what …

The First Draft Horses in the San Luis Valley

July 17, 2015May 1, 2015 by Mike Rosso

by Jan MacKell Collins Most history buffs have heard of George McJunkin, the former slave from Texas who discovered the much heralded “Folsom Fossils” in New Mexico during the 1930s. There was another McJunkin family however, distant cousins to the Texas family who eventually gave George his freedom. This branch of the family made history …

What Really Happened to Gottlieb Fluhmann?

November 14, 2014August 1, 2014 by Mike Rosso

by Jan MacKell Collins In October of 1944, two GI’s from Peterson Air Force Base were hunting near Lake George. One of them, Master Sergeant Francis Brahler, hiked up to a remote granite outcropping. A reflection from the sun caught his eye. Further inspection revealed an actual glass window in the rock, completely hidden from …

Reviews – The Hash Knife Around Holbrook

November 11, 2014July 1, 2014 by Mike Rosso

By Jan MacKell Collins Arcadia Publishing ISBN 978-1-4671-3093-6 127 Pages, $21.99 Reviewed by Forrest Whitman The Hash Knife brand and the cowboys who were part of that legend have created a cottage industry around Holbrook, Arizona. Each year a well-funded trail ride, called the Hash Knife Pony Express ride, goes from Holbrook south to the …