Nostalgia & History > Shoshone Station, Canyon of the Grand, Colorado

I found a terrific picture of the Shoshone station on the Cali website,

http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt6m3nc2bh/?order=2&brand=calisphere

Picture 1, “Title: From: Shoshone Station, Canyon of the Grand, Colo. Collection: Keystone-Mast Collection. Contributing Institution: UC Riverside, California Museum of Photography.

---

This picture must have been taken some time from when the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Glenwood Extension reached Glenwood Springs [The first passenger train entered Glenwood Springs on October 5. 1887.] and when the Shoshone Dam was built in 1910.

Picture 2, picture 1 enlarged.

---

Picture 3, picture 1 railroad water tank and station enlarged.

---

With the advent of Highway I-70 you cannot see the view in picture 1 because the highway passes this portion of the canyon in the Hanging Lake Tunnels in the mountain behind where the Shoshone railroad station once stood. You can see this view by exiting from the eastbound lane of I-70 shortly before you reach the Hanging Lake Tunnels and cross the river to the Hanging Lake Park. From the Hanging Lake Park you can take the trail to see Hanging Lake. When I-70 was built it was decided for engineering reasons and perhaps to limit the traffic to Hanging Lake Park to have the exit from the eastbound lane of I-70 only. Even with this limitation the traffic to Hanging Lake Park the traffic has became a problem.

Perhaps most people visit the park to climb the trail to Hanging Lake. Some see a coal train or one of the California Zephyrs pass on the opposite of the river but perhaps few realize that across the river once stood a railroad water tank and station house and in the gulch behind the station house with houses for the married men that built the Shoshone Dam.

Picture 4, “Call Number: MCC-1. Title: Shoshone Warehouse, Married Men's Gulch. Creator(s): McClure, Louis Charles, 1867-1957. Summary: Shoshone station on Denver & Rio Grande Railroad; includes rock walls of Glenwood Canyon, Colorado, wooden frame residence, water tower, siding and outbuildings, warehouse and construction materials for future site of Shoshone dam and power house, construction tents up Married Men's Gulch, and bridge across Grand River (later renamed Colorado River). Date: 1908? Formerly MCC-4051; supplied title.; Oxidation on glass plate.; Signature hand-lettered on glass plate.; Vintage photographic print. Physical Description: 1 photonegative: glass; 21 x 26 cm. (8 x 10 in.); 1 photoprint; 19 x 24 cm. (7 1/2 x 9 1/2 in.). Is Part Of L. C. McClure collection 1890-1935.”

---

Picture 5, “Call Number: MCC-3851. Title: Shoshone Dam. Creator(s): McClure, Louis Charles, 1867-1957. Summary: View of Shoshone Dam (hydro electric) construction, Glenwood Canyon, Garfield County, Colorado; shows men on catwalks over the Colorado River and Denver and Rio Grande Railroad tracks. Date: March 17, 1910. Glass plate broken diagonally; oxidizing.; Title, signature, date ‘3/17/'10’ and number ‘118’ hand-lettered on glass plate. Physical Description. 1 copy photonegative; 8 x 9 cm. (3 x 3 3/4 in.); 1 photonegative: glass; 21 x 26 cm. (8 x 10 in.); 1 photoprint; 12 x 15 cm. (4 3/4 x 6 in.). Is Part Of L. C. McClure collection 1890-1935.”

---

Picture 6, “Call Number: GB-6444. Title: Auto on road below Shoshone Glenwood Canyon. Creator(s): Beam, George L. (George Lytle), 1868-1935. Summary: Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad track grade and a car on dirt road flank the Colorado River, a trickle, in Glenwood Canyon, Garfield County, Colorado. Date: between 1922 and 1935? Formerly HC2617. Scanned image from loaned collection. Title supplied. Physical Description: 1 photonegative: nitrate; 20 x 25 cm. (8 x 10 in.). Is Part Of James Ozment collection of George Beam photographs.”

---