Victor Heritage Society
Working Together to Preserve 
Historic Victor, Colorado
City of Gold Mines
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    • La Jean Greeson"s Presentations at Gold Coin Club in Victor, Colorado
    • Round Table Discussion in Pinnacle Park by Victor Historians
    • 2024 Historic Building Tour, Victor, Colorado
    • Ceremony Remembering the Teller County Gold Star Servicemen of WWII in Wallace Park
    • Victor Heritage Society Picnic at Bison Reservoir
  • Preservation Successes
  • Activities
  • Landmarks
  • Guidelines & Galleries
    • Guide to Preserving Our Architectural Heritage
    • Photo Gallery of Victor Residential Gems
    • Photo Gallery of Victor Businesses Operating in Historic Buildings
    • Photo Gallery of Historic Victor Homes & Buildings--Then & Now
    • Photo Gallery of Historic Victor Artwork by Fred Shane, Circa 1942
    • Photo Gallery of Historic Gold Mines >
      • Stratton's Independence Mine
      • Restoring the Historic Headframe of Stratton's Independence Mine
      • Gold Coin Mine--Part of the Woods Empire
      • Vindicator Mine
    • Photos From 1903-04 Labor Strike in Cripple Creek & Victor Mining District.
    • Step Back in Time with Glimpses of Historical Photos Featuring Victor, Colorado & the Surrounding Mining District
  • Oral History
    • Theodore Roosevelt's Chaotic & Triumphant Visits to Victor
    • “The Only Swedish Grocery Store in Victor”: The J.A. “Joseph” Beckman Family in the Cripple Creek Mining District of Colorado, 1896-1915 by Richard "Dick" Markley.
    • Goold Family Historic Ties to Victor, Colorado & Famous Former Residents of the City by Nellie Goold Young.
    • Memories of H. L. Turner (1882-1967) and His Experiences in the Early Days of the Cripple Creek Mining District.
    • H. L. Turner Story--Part 2: Unique Perspectives About the History of Victor, Colorado & the Cripple Creek Mining District.
    • Tragedies When I Was Growing Up In Victor by Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Memories of James Garth Payne & How He Came to Letter Names on the Original WWII Roll of Honor in Victor and Cripple Creek, Colorado.
    • Winters in Victor, Colorado during the 1940's & 50's by Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack)
    • Biking & Hockey in Victor, Colorado -- The Passions of Brian Hayes
    • Sports in Victor, Colorado & Memories of the 1949 Pikes Peak Junior High Basketball Tournament
    • Abbott Family Memories Made in Victor, Colorado: The House & Antiques Shop -- by Debbie Abbott.
    • Abbott Family Memories Made in Victor, Colorado: Digging At the Dump -- by Steve Abbott.
    • Abbott Family Memories Made in Victor, Colorado: Mom & Her Victor Friends -- by Dave Abbott.
    • A History of VICTOR, COLORADO--THE CITY OF MINES, compiled and published in 1933 by S. E. Poet, Superintendent of Public Schools at Victor.
    • Carl Roy's Oral History Videos -- Life in Victor, Colorado
    • The Miner’s Photograph: A Pathway to the Past by Steven Wade Veatch.
    • Recollections of My Life in Victor, Colorado during the Depression, WWII, & After By Charles Norman Spray (AKA Jeep Hack)
    • Memories of Washington Elementary--My First School in Victor, Colorado by Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Adventures at the Beaver Valley Ranch While Growing up in Victor, Colorado by Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Memories of the Ina & Henry Cleveland Hack Family by Charles Norman Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • The Lighter Side of a Visit to Hack's Victor Barber Shop by Charles Norman Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Memories of Margaret & Henry C. "June" Hack, Jr. by Charles Norman Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Memorabilia from Cripple Creek & Victor High School Bands Directed by Ernest T. Sly from 1939 to 1950.
    • A Day in the Cresson Mine by Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Firewood For Victor, Colorado by Charles Norman Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Memories of My Grandfather, John Reed Gardner (1864-1951)--Gardner Mercantile Owner, Bank President, Insurance Company Executive. By John Reed Gardner, II (grandson).
    • Tarie Huber Oral History Videos -- Life in Victor, Colorado
    • 1896 Shooting Affray at Union Theater in Victor, Colorado.
    • Memories of Mrs. Katy Bemore, resident of Independence when the deport was blown up in 1904.
    • Working Underground in the Cripple Creek & Victor Mining District, 1972 to 1979: How I Got the Shaft, the Gas, and the Broken Steel by Randall Stewart.
    • INSTALLMENT #1. Seven Generations In Victor, Colorado and The Mining District—The Way It Was as Recalled by Eleanor Musser Baker.
    • INSTALLMENT #2. Seven Generations In Victor, Colorado and The Mining District—The Way It Was as Recalled by Eleanor Musser Baker.
    • INSTALLMENT #3. Seven Generations In Victor, Colorado and The Mining District—The Way It Was as Recalled by Eleanor Musser Baker.
    • Memories of Edward Franklin Page: Watchman at the Stratton Mines and Subsequently a Mine Manager, Farmer, Retail Businessman, & Banker.
    • Tom Schryver's Memories of Growing Up in Victor, Colorado and His Parents--Mayme & Charles "Bumps" Chapman.
    • McCormick Family Connections to Victor, Colorado (1893-2014) by Mary Ann McCormick Hamm.
    • Paying the Piper by Gertrude Moore McGowan.
    • Gold Camp Celebration--Fourth of July in Victor, Early 1900's by Gertrude Moore McGowan.
    • Memories of Lulu Ella Manson & Harry Gordon Moore by Gertrude Moore McGowan
    • Memories of Fannie & Alfred Osborn by Marge Breth
    • Memories of Cripple Creek & Victor, 1945-62, by Mary Alice Orazen
    • The Story of Axel Olson & His Golden Girl, Betzi Johnson, by Shirley Beach.
    • Memories of Mr. and Mrs. Axel Olson by KC Garver
    • Victor Recollections--Mountain Doctor, Small Town Cop, Gus's Sporting Goods, & Little Toy Pocket Knife by Floyd Frank
    • Memories of Lowell Thomas--Victor"s Most Famous Former Resident
    • Memories of the Gold Rush Era in Victor by Edgar McGowan
    • A Day In the Life of a Miner by Chuck Clark
    • Underground Mining Experiences at the Cresson and Ajax by Myron House
    • Hynes Brothers "Clean Ice" for Victor, Colorado--Memories of Mary Ellen Hynes Chetelat.
    • Marguerite Clark--One of Victor's Angels by Chuck Clark
    • Charlie Clark & the Quality Cash Market by Chuck Clark
    • Pop Sly -- Ernest T. Sly, The Band Man by Chuck Clark
    • Mr. Mortenson--The Victor Shoemaker by Chuck Clark
    • Heninger Family Memories of Victor, Portland Junction, & Independence: 1909-1916, by Virginia & Edgar Heninger
    • Reflections on Goldfield by Carol Roberts
    • Growing Up In Victor in the 1930's by Bob Penman
  • Visit
PictureTish Allen with her mother, Eleanor Baker, January 2000.
Installment #1. SEVEN GENERATIONS IN VICTOR, COLORADO AND THE MINING DISTRICT--The Way It Was. 

Memories of Eleanor Musser Baker (1920-2003) and her mother, Sadie Alstrum Musser (1890-1965).
 
Installment #1 submitted (January 2018) by Tish Allen--daughter of Eleanor Musser Baker, granddaughter of Sadie Musser.


     My Mother, Eleanor Musser Baker, loved Victor.  She was a 2nd generation Victor Native and lived 83 years loving Victor.  Her mother, Sadie Musser, was born here in 1890.  Both recorded years of memories of the area. 

    My mother was the youngest of four children and, having endured many sad experiences and severe family health problems, she never ceased to vividly remember details of the town and her experiences.  She worked in the boarding houses as a young girl, packing miners lunches, making beds, cleaning rooms before school, and later worked in the Victor Post Office for 43 years until retiring as Postmaster.
​​

Picture
Children of Sadie and Reuben Musser, Sr (right to left) -- Martin (1911-30), Eleanor (1920-2003), Reuben, Jr (1916-97), & Carl (1912-89). Reuben Musser, Sr was born in 1884 and died in 1937 when Eleanor was 17 years old. Sadie Musser was born in 1890 and died in 1965.
Picture
Gold Belt Lunchroom, Sadie Musser's Cafe on N 3rd St next to the Monarch Building, 1930s-40s. Standing in doorway is Eleanor Musser Baker with Butch Schafley (butcher at Rounds A.G. Store). The car parked at the curb belonged to Jake Baker (Eleanor's husband).
Picture
Jake Baker (1942) married Eleanor Musser.
Picture
Jake and Eleanor Baker (1967).
Picture
Eleanor Baker raising Victor Post Office flag.
Picture
Eleanor Baker at Post Office where she retired as Postmaster after 43 years of service.
Picture
Retirement Party--Margaret Takavee, Mary Mendenhal, Eleanor Baker.
Picture
Eleanor Baker (accompanied by Grandson Jake) was the Honored Grand Marshal of the 1992 Gold Rush Days Parade in Victor.
     Mom always recalled old friends, old experiences, and old places.  Everyone has their favorite memories and my Mom and Grandma had theirs.  Here are some notes my Mom recorded.  Most come from mom after 1920, but some were recorded by her mother after 1890.
 
ELEANOR BAKER (1920-2003) & SADIE MUSSER (1890-1965) REMEMBER WHEN:
  • The City of Victor first started in 1892 and was incorporated May 15, 1894.  The Mt. Rosa Placer was purchased by McKinney.  He purchased it from Victor Adams.  He then sold the property to the Woods Brothers and the Woods put it into a town site [1893] and needed a name for it.  They named it Victor after the original owner (Victor Adams). 
  • On March 4, 1898, news was received in Victor that the town had proudly entered the ranks of the cities of the second class.  The Secretary State C.H.S. Whipple issued the necessary proclamation under the instructions of Governor Alva Adams.   
  • Jimmy Doyle started the first fire Department in Victor and presented the City with a fine hand pulled hose cart.  It was known as Doyle’s Hose Company No. l.  One year later Doyle gave the City a fire wagon costing $1,000.  It was made by the Honest John Williams Blacksmith Shop on North 2nd Street—all hand work.  The wagon was still in use in 1965 on a ranch near Gillette. 
  • The old tin covered opera house was on North 2nd.  [Note--that building was destroyed in the Great Fire of August 21, 1899 when most of the Victor business district burned to the ground.]
  • William Jennings Bryan spoke in Victor and his platform was moved out to the South side of town so there would be more room for the crowd that assembled to hear the silver tongued orator.  
  • The office of Victor Times was badly damaged by fire from the explosion of a gasoline tank.  The north end of the building was practically destroyed, a new linotype machine was damaged, and there was damage to stock and the press.  P. Wilkins was badly scorched in the explosion. 
  • Four men burned to death in the wooden Caboose down on First Street.  ​  
Picture
This 1896 colorized map is captioned as follows: "Town of Victor is possessed of all modern conveniences -- water, electric light, telephone service, paid fire department, etc. Also two of the richest gold mines in the world within its limits. Population 9,000." In the left half of the map, the large reddish building with a cone-shaped tower depicts the original Victor Hotel constructed on the NW corner of 4th & Victor Avenue by the Woods Family. To the west of the hotel, Victor Ave slopes downward to a bridge in the gulch. The trestle above the bridge served the Florence & Cripple Creek Railroad which traveled on through the "cut" where Highway 67 is now located.
ELEANOR BAKER AND SADIE MUSSER REMEMBER WHEN:
  • The sidewalk on Third and Victor Avenue was 5 feet higher than the street and was made of plank board.  [Note from Tish Allen:  Eleanor & Sadie are referring to the wooden sidewalk that once extended south along 3rd St next to the Fortune Club / Harshies.  Elevations changed when streets were regraded before rebuilding commenced after the Great Fire of August 21, 1899.]     
  • The Victor Hotel on 4th and Victor Avenue was the gathering place for people from the ends of the earth.  [Note the Original Victor Hotel is depicted by the large reddish colored building with a cone-shaped tower on the NW corner of 4th & Victor Ave in the left half of the 1896 Map above.]
  • You crossed a bridge at 5th and Victor Ave to go to 7th Street.  [See 1896 map above.]
  • You went up Portland Avenue and on over the Cliff to go to Cripple Creek.  [Note from Tish Allen:  The bridge connected Victor Ave to S 6th St, which connected to W Portland Ave, which connected to 7th St and the road to the  Cemetery and old city dump area.  The road from Cripple Creek connected from the Elkton area to this area west of Victor.]
  • All fairs, circuses and drilling contests were held down in the gulch on South 4th street.  
  •  The Spicer mine, the Little Montana mine, the Mt. Rosa, the Jolly Tar, the St. Patrick, the Gold Coin, the Mary Cashen, and Golconda  mines were all operating in the city limits of Victor. 
  • The street cars stopped on 4th and Victor Avenue. 
  • Dos Milner of Victor was seriously injured on Aug 29, 1900 while attempting to board an F&CC passenger train about 50 feet west of the Fourth Street crossing.  Just as the engine came alongside of him he suddenly turned as if to reach for a hand hold when he was struck and knocked down.  He fell toward the train, his feet sliding under.  The wheels of the front car passed over his left leg completely crushing it.  He was taken to his home on the corner of 6th St. and Spicer and attended by Drs. McKenzie and Cohen. 
  • The only Bull Fight in the United States was held at Gillette. 
  • The “high line” stopped on North 5th near Granite Avenue. 
  • There was a train every 20 minutes on the Florence and Cripple Creek Rail Road and a total of 52 street cars and trains coming into Victor every 24 hours. 
  • Stratton lived where the old Conoco oil tanks are now situated in the Cunningham Addition. 
  • President Roosevelt visited the district with [Senator] Wolcott.
  • The Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad built their stone station at 4th and Diamond.  It was a miniature Union Station. 
  • The Gold Coin Club was having the best fighters in the West.  Jack Johnson was a partner there.  Young Corbett fought there.  Morgan Williams, the fighting miner, got his start at the club and won over Mexican Pete who lived here then.  Eleanor’s father [Reuben Musser] also was one of the locals from Victor who would ‘spar’ against the prize fighter Jack Dempsey when he was in Victor and on his way to heavyweight boxing. 
  • The mines used colored candles. You could tell where a man worked by the color of the candle grease on his clothes.  If he looked like a rainbow he was a “ten-day man”.  
  • The Baptist Church was a frame two-room house located where the Gold Coin Mine is.   When the Woods Brothers moved the church to make room for the mine and placed the structure on a high cribbing at 5th and Victor Avenue, the wind blew it down.  Mrs. Woods persuaded them to replace it with a new building on 4th and Portland.  They spent a large sum and the Baptist Church remains one of the best built churches in the state for its size.
​CLICK HERE FOR INSTALLMENT #2 of this "Remember When" series recalled by Eleanor Baker and her mother, Sadie Musser.

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