Historic Landscapes Summit County, Colorado, Ghost Towns and Townsites Volume 6

Why Historic Landscapes, Summit County, Colorado? Bill Fountain first considered writing a book about the historic towns of Summit County, including those found from Hoosier Pass north to the confluence of the Blue and Swan rivers, west to the Ten Mile Range, and east to the headwaters of the north and south forks of the Swan River, several years ago. The initial idea of a single book grew into a series of seven books to accommodate the photographs, documents, and maps he wanted to include. Many of the photographs, which he gathered from a wide variety of sources, have not appeared in previous publications. Using information taken from first-hand accounts, mining district logbooks, Summit County Clerk and Recorder's record books, and newspapers, he tells the story of the more than 25 historic towns that supported the mining economy in the greater Breckenridge area. Only Breckenridge survived. (Clerk & Recorder's)

In Volume 6, text and photographs tell the story of Wapiti, located on the east-facing side of Farncomb Hill; of Dogtown, an unplatted settlement built on sloping terrain of upper American Gulch, which earned its name because the buildings reminded people of dog kennels; of Swandyke and Swandike, both located just below tree line on, but on opposite sides of, the Middle Fork of the Swan River; and of Rexford, a ghost town with a name chosen by a vote of the residents. Of particular interest are the contributions of men such as Mason B. Carpenter, Thomas Fuller, Carl Fulton, Alfred Ware, and Ben Stanley Revett. Readers will enjoy the spectacular photographs of wire, leaf, and crystalline gold found by modern prospectors.

With photographs and maps in hand, Fountain traveled back in time, imagining what life would have been like in the late 1800s. He hopes that you, the reader, will be able to do the same.