Final Scenes Around Santa Catalina Island: Part I

We start with the Casino, where you can take Ghost Tours.  Something that I will try to do on my next visit.  The word 'casino' means gathering place, not the gambling we typically think of.  So there was never gambling.  It is a Theater and Event Center, and always has been.

Evans School, Furnace Doors

The Coal Furnace Doors were Preserved when the new HVAC was installed.

Doors Open Denver........The Evans School

The Historic Evans School has its own Website

Views from the West Balcony of Evans School.

North Balcony View of the Art Museum, and Denver constantly under construction nowadays.....

Como Artist Colony

There are still many 'worker bee' cottages remaining in Como, although it is a mere shadow of it's heyday 1910 population of 475.

Como is largely an artist's colony in habited in the warmer months.  Only a few permanent residents stay beyond the end of October.

The appropriately names 'Tres Colores' house is one of many available for rent during the tourist season.

Moving Klondike Kate

With the renovation of the turn table, it only takes two men to turn Kate around:

Also can be moved by several small children.........

Here for a better view of the Turn Table:

And a final link to Como History and the Como Project.

Memorial Day: The Fog of War

And Remembering Decoration Day

The North American Fur Trade

The North American Fur Trade was fueled by the Top Hat, originally made from Beaver Fur.  Beavers were already near extinction in western Europe by this time.  And in North America the Beaver was driven almost to extinction.  Saved only by the silk trade, replacing fur with silk in Top Hat manufacture.  You can find a list of Colorado Trading Forts here.

Exterior (above) and interior of the Turret.

This was our First visit to Fort Lupton, and upon reflection, it seemed like B&W would be more appropriate.  So on our Second visit we shot T-Max 400.  I need to scan those.  So we'll take a look at those next week.

Fort Lupton: Part II

We were attending an open house at the Fort, so there were demonstrations, a Trapper's camp and re-enactors  We actually were so impressed that we joined the Historical Society and talked to the re-enactors about the various costumes and options for participating.

In the Background you can see the Trading Entrance described yesterday.

Lancaster Lupton's 2-story home inside the Fort.

Welcome to Fort Lupton

Starting off the month with a Visit to Fort Lupton, one of many 'Trading Forts' along the Missouri River and it's tributaries. Lovingly and authentically restored by the South Platte Valley Historical Society.  Welcome to Lancaster Lupton's trading post founded in 1836.

 One of these days I'll remember to use my lens hood to avoid sun flares.......

This is actually not the Trading Entrance pictured above, but a side entrance.  

Below is the Trading entrance seen from the inside.

This was a double gated portico of sorts, where Native Americans were permitted to trade, without having access to the secured part of the Fort.

The Beehive Turbine House

The Beehive Turbine House supplied power to the local telephone company, and is identified as a historic site in the development of telephone service by the Telephone Pioneers of America:

Beehive Turbine Building with the ruins of the Beehive Grain Mill in the background. 

Minute Man Missile Site Tour

As promised......a photo tour of the site.  You can follow along here and I will describe the numbered areas:

Stop1.  The site was still locked up when we arrive a few minutes before 9:00 AM:

You can call the self guided tour number from anywhere and I'm sure it will play:

605-301-3006

Stop 2.  The tour guide describes the Cold War and reason for deployment of the Minute Man Missiles.

Stop 3-4:  Also see above for a picture of the Missile.  There wasn't enough light to photograph the mock-up missile on site. By Treaty, abandoned sites have to be destroyed.  Sites such as this one, used as museums, have to be partially open to show the missile inside the glass.  This allows monitoring via satellite to prove that the site is not active.  We watch the Russians and they watch Us.  You will see a similar arrangement at the Titan Missile Museum in Tuscon, AZ.

Stop 5: Hardened Ultra High Frequency Antenna.  Allows the missile to be launched from a remote air system in case the Launch Control site has been damaged.

Stop 6: Soft Support Building (under ground) houses the diesel generator to maintain electrical power in case of a power outage.  Power for the missile site can from the regular power grid.

Stop 6A: Diesel Vents and personnel access for maintenance.

Stop 7:  Access hatch for missile maintenance.

Stop 8:  Surveillance Systems.  This antenna (white post in the center of the frame) scanned the vicinity and notified security of a breach.  Frequently wildlife set off the systems as the passed closed to the fence.

There was also video surveillance.  Anyone found on the site without authorization could be shot on sight.

This concludes our Tour of the Cold War.......

Some Sobering Thoughts

As we approach the New Year......Let's Hope for the Best.  The world seems a bit crazy to me right now.  So on our most recent trip back to South Dakota (twice now this year)  we dropped by the Minute Man Missile Museum:

The cold overcast day was probably appropriate..........

Greeted at the door by a Famous Quote......

The Launch Command site was closed for some safety updates, so we'll catch that next summer.........Now a glimpse inside the museum.

Missile Squadrons in South Dakota

Missile sites active during the Cold War (some still in service).

 

Russian Missile Launch Keys.....

I skipped Bert the Turtle, The 'duck and cover' era was before my time.  I grew up with MAD, and never feared a nuclear war...because it worked (Mutually Assured Destruction).

But in the early days people assumed that there would be a nuclear war......I found the mushroom cloud cake to be a bit strange.....what were they celebrating??

The Minute Man Tour Site was open, and we'll tour it next:

 

A small preview

It's an excellent Museum.  One of the best features is the oral histories of the personnel that operated these sites.  A photo friend of our used to be a Launch Commander, that how we found out about the museum.  Docents are often also former launch personnel.