The Church

In 1870 two missionary brothers arrived in this little Colorado mining town, with dreams of building a church. The first protestant church on the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains. One of the brother's George was also a carpenter.

Their dream was realized when this 20x40' frame building was completed in 1876. The steeple and belfry added in 1882...and electricity in 1891. George went on to become an ordained minister a few years later and books were written about how he trudged through the mountains, sometimes in deep snow preaching to the miners. There is even a mountain peak named after him. 

This recent picture is of his great granddaughter Ruth. Ruth and other family members came to town from Oregon in 2003 to present a child's chair that had belonged to George and his wife to our museum. It wasn't long before Ruth found herself coming out here every summer. This little place has a way of latching on to you ! Anyway, Ruth who works while she is in town at the general store, has met a local and will be married in the church this summer... that her Great Grandfather built so many years ago.