Teller County Colorado Genealogy Resources: Gold Rush History

Trace Lineage of the Gold Rush, by Rob Carrigan

"The historical sense involves a perception, not only of the pastness of the past, but of its presence." - T.S. Elliot 1919

I like to read old newspapers and another pursuit I find interesting is to try to trace lineage. It is only natural then, that an effort to figure out The Gold Rush's family tree would follow. It is, however, a challenge.

The current Gold Rush is a descendant of no less than 10 newspapers and their consolidations. As many as 20 different newspapers have operated in the Cripple Creek district over the years.

Notable journalists such as famous broadcaster Lowell Thomas reported for the Victor Record (merged into The Gold Rush early in the last century) in 1910 and 1911. Gov. Ralph Carr served as editor of the rival Cripple Creek Times during the same period. Irena Ingram became Colorado's first woman district judge in 1938 when Governor Teller Ammons appointed her to the bench.

A 1978 book by Walter H. Stewart and Elma St. John Stewart, "Colorado Newspaper Editors, Own-ers, 1935-1977" was an outgrowth of research for the Colorado Press Association.

In the Stewart's book, they claim the Gold Rush began its life as the Cripple Creek Crusher in December 1891, and the first publishers were E.C. Gard and W.S. Neal. Bert Pottenger was the first editor according to the book.

A 1991 article by Ruth Zirkle (still a local fixture in Victor and Teller County) marking the 100-year anniversary of the Gold Rush says that Gard moved his news plant here from Palmer Lake and beat William McCrea to the punch by four days by publishing the first Crusher on December 4, 1891. The first Crusher was printed in gilded ink - a layer of gold over the regular ink. McCrea's Prospector, the second newspaper sported a vermilion headline that said, "New Gold Field," Zirkle wrote.

The Gold Rush even incorporates news products and predates papers from the other side of the country as well. IN 1952, Margaret A. Giddings and Blevins Davis bought the Cripple Creek Times-Record and absorbed the Woodland Park View, which was first published by Ken Geddes on Fridays in Teller Town beginning in 1948. The Times-Record was a daily newspaper itself until 1942 when World War II and the closing of the gold mines forced a downsizing to a weekly product.

Giddings and Davis changed the name to The Gold Rush in 1952 when they purchased the paper, but the name was changed to the Teller County Times. Doug Hirsh bought the Teller County Times in August, l987, then changed the name to the Gold Rush.

If you have information about newspapers in this area that you would like to share with me, I would be very happy to lend an ear. But remind me to take notes, because otherwise I don't think I can keep track without a written history.

Rob Carrigan is a third generation Colorado Native, descendant of the wee Carrigans of Ferarmagh, and publisher of the Courier, Gold Rush and Extra.