When you say Mineral county, You pretty much mean Creede. While there’s a lot of little places which amount to little more than a spot on a map, Creede holds the majority of the history of the area,
The scenery is spectacular around it.
Downside of the community? It’s becoming a little of a tourist destination, and some of the old west charm is gone.
Leafing through the history of Creede is a little like reading a Who’s Who of the Old West
Bob Ford is probably the most well known resident of the town. He was killed in Creede in 1892. Bob ran a small saloon in a tent after the fire that destroyed Creede. One day a man named Edward Capehart O’Kelley walked in and gunned him down with a shotgun. Most thought Bob was murdered because O’Kelley was a James sympathizer. But there may have been a darker motive. Some think he was killed by other forces who were vying for the control of the area. Or so goes the idea. O’Kelley took the answer to the question of “Why” to his grave.
An eyewitness to the event may have been a woman history calls “Poker Alice.” She was a card dealer in the saloon when the shooting occurred, and claims to have seen it happen.
In her book concerning Poker Alice, Liz Duckworth makes a interesting statement. In an interview, alice says Bob confessed that he didn’t shoot Jesse. He told her it was his brother, not him. He just took the fall.
Why he’d say something like that after all the years of soaking in that spotlight is a mystery. Maybe he was just tired of being called a coward. Maybe he was trying to get Alice in bed. Or maybe it was true.
I guess, we’ll never know.
Ford was buried in Creede, and his grave is still there. Of course, it’s a tourist attraction. But SPOILER ALERT. The grave is empty. His body was exhumed and his remains taken to his hometown in Missouri.
Another place in Creede to visit is the underground mine. Mining is what Creede was all about, and the latest excavation left a cavern hundreds of feet deep. Rockhounds will go crazy over this. The mine shows how mining was done through the ages. and it’s an is an eye-opening trip into the world of the people who founded this area.
The locals have turned the mine into a community center and underground fire department. Tours are offered of the tunnels and are well worth it.
But, be warned! The shafts are haunted by TommyKnockers. If you’ve got the right guide,they will be happy to show you where one hides.
The area is dotted with tons of old mine shafts. Word of warning. STAY OUT OF THEM. Most were unstable to begin with and the years haven’t helped. Several have a sign that says if you intend to go in, please let someone know. That way they know where to put your headstone in the event of a cave in.
There’s great trails to hike and four wheel on. Do be respectful since a lot of it is private property. And you can’t beat fly fishing on the Rio Grande or rafting it.
There are some really good people there and the small size does a lot to promote the idea of community. In the summertime, there’s a nice little farmers market. One of its wares is fresh baked bread. I(highly suggest the apricot sourdough bread – You’ll lose your mind.
Stories from Creede and Mineral County
Killing Bob Ford. Read about it here.
Poker Alice – The Woman. The Legend. Read about her here.
William R. Ablan, Police Mysteries 