The Walk & A Book List

Post by Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines

Image (C) Doris McCraw

It's been hot, and I took a walk this evening to cool off and think about writing, readers, and my love of storytelling. Whether it is written or verbal, I love sharing stories. To me, that is what is important. Not the type of font, whether I use an em dash or a semicolon, or any other grammar that is currently the favorite. It is also why my work tagged me to do a series of short videos that humorously tell the history of Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region. I will put a link to one of those at the end of this post.

Also, since my work, both fiction and non-fiction, is based on history, it is important to me that I get it as correct as I can. My characters are trying to find their way in the world, usually a world they are not prepared for. They are determined to make a mark, even if in their own inner circle. While a worthy goal, it is not the only one; other people who inhabit their world have their own goals and dreams. Life is the test that allows for their continued growth as adults while still giving them a happy ending,

In both "Isabella" and "Verna Kate", I read books and newspapers about the area around Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. While not all the information was used in those books, the characters would know and read much of what was contained in those resources.

For those interested, here is a short list of some resources:

"A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains" - Isabella Bird

"The Story of Early Estes Park" - Enos Mills

"Making Rocky Mountain National Park: The Environmental History of an American Treasure" - Jerry J. Frank

"Historic Rocky Mountain National Park: The Stories Behind One of America's Great Treasures" - Randi Minetor

There were other resources, but the above are available either in a library or on Amazon. For those who would like to know more about this beautiful area, contact me, and I will be happy to share more.

If the story of Isabella and Verne Kate interests you, they are available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited; I urge you to check them out.

"Did You Know with Doris" - VCOS

Until next time

Stay safe and keep reading and writing.

Doris

Angela Raines - Amazon

Doris A. McCraw - Amazon

Why National Women's History Month?

Post by Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines

Image (C) Doris McCraw

When I began College in the early 70s, I had a friend who wanted to major in women's studies. What she ended up doing in one of her classes was reading those books written by women from the early days to the present. She found the writing sometimes hard to read, but the idea of these women, many of whom were not known of at that time, finally getting their time in the sun was exciting.

If it were not for the push to remember these early writers, the rest of the story might have been lost to time, or we might just now be learning about the women who played a major role and about what we have become.

As I research not only for the history that I write about, but also the history I use in my novels, I now have access to so many women who made their mark.

In the current book I'm working on, which takes place in Estes Park, Colorado, women such as:

• Mary Belle King Sherman: As a leader in the General Federation of Women's Clubs, she was dubbed "The National Park Lady," using her influence to lobby for the creation of RMNP and the National Park Service.
• Esther Burnell Mills: In 1917, she became the first licensed nature guide in any national park, leading trips through the mountains and marrying champion of the park, Enos Mills.
• Elizabeth Burnell: Sister to Esther, she was a pioneering educator who led hiking parties, including trips above the treeline, and was the first woman guide to lead a group to the summit of Longs Peak.
• Isabella Bird: An English explorer who popularized the area through her 1879 book A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains and was among the first women to climb Longs Peak.
• Margaret Fuller Boos: A geologist who served as the park's first female ranger-naturalist in the late 1920s, developing geological guides for visitors.
• Kitty and Annie Harbison: Homesteaded land that later became part of the park. 
• Flora Stanley: Wife of F.O. Stanley, the builder of the Stanley Hotel.

all had a part to play in the history of the area.

Would our favorite stories exist as they do without the contributions of these women and others? We may not always include some of these women by name, but their presence can still be felt in the characters we create.

For me, having these histories available is priceless.

Until next time,

Stay safe and keep reading and writing.

Doris

Angela Raines - Amazon

Doris A. McCraw - Amazon

 

Rocky Mountain National Park - Early History

Post (C) Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines

This is a repost of an earlier post.

Image (C) Doris McCraw

Would we have Rocky Mountain National Park without Lord Dunraven's actions?  It is a question I've been pondering as I research the background for my upcoming book, "Isabella, Rocky Mountain Bride."

Let's begin with who Lord Dunraven was. Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin, 4th Earl of Durraven and Mout-Earl, was born on February 12, 1841at Adare Manor, County Limerick. His early years were spent at Duraven Castle in Glamorgan, Wales.

Image from Wikipedia

At twenty-six, he was a war correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, a London newspaper, and covered the Abyssinian War in Africa. Then, for another paper, he covered the Franco-Prussian War, the Third Carlist War in Turkey, and witnessed the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1871 at the end of the Franco-Prussian War, and the 1919 Treaty of Versailles ending WWI. 

He was also involved in British politics as a conservative.

In 1872, Dunraven visited the Estes Park area to hunt wild game. This was a year before Englishwoman Isabella Bird visited the area. In 1874, he decided to create a game preserve in the area for himself and his English friends. He used the Homestead Act to acquire control of 15,000 acres. Some say this is one of the biggest land steals in Colorado history. He sold his land in 1907. This area is part of the Rocky Mountain National Park. 

On a side note, this same Lord Dunraven commissioned artist Albert Bierstadt in 1876 to paint a canvas of Longs Peak and Estes Park. Bierstadt was paid $15.000 for the work. Image of Bierstadt painting

Would we have a Rocky Mountain National Park without this early land grab? The park was officially designated in 1815, so it was eight years later. 

For more on this interesting person: Wikipedia, National Parks website

Until Next Time,

Doris

Angela Raines - Amazon

Doris A. McCraw - Amazon

It was a Lulu

Post by Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines

Image (C) Doris McCraw

This short post is about a short-lived 'town' by the name of Lulu City. Lulu City came into existence around 1879 after silver was found in the area. This was at the height of the silver boom in Colorado.

As with most mining boom towns, Lulu City grew quickly. At one point, it was said to have 40 'houses', a post office, a barber shop, general stores, and a hotel. 

By 1881-1882, the weather and low-grade ore led to a loss of many of the miners. In 1884, the government closed the post office, and by 1885, the site was a ghost town.

How did the town get its name? Allegedly, it is named for the daughter of one of the primary backers of the company that built the town, Benjamin F. Burnett. He, along with his business partner, William Blake, were the backers of the Middle Park and Grand River Improvement Company. 

Like all towns of the era, it had its fair share of violence. However, as such a short-lived town, there is little press about the incidents.

For those who might like to swew what remains of this 'town', you can hike there along an old wagon trail that was used during its heyday. The site is located on the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Yes, this site plays a part in my upcoming National Park Bride book.

Until Next Time: Stay safe, Stay happy, and Stay healthy. 

Doris

Angela Raines - Amazon

Doris A. McCraw - Amazon

Mr. Mills

 Post (C) Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines

Image (C) Doris McCraw

Like many in the 19th and early 20th century, Enos Mills, born in Kansas in 1870, made his home in Colorado.

At the age of fifteen, he climbed Long's Peak, a 14,000-foot peak in Colorado, during one of his early trips to the Estes Park area. During his life, he soloed the peak forty times and guided others another three hundred. He also wrote several books about the area and wildlife.

Recovering his health, Mills traveled extensively until 1902, when he returned to Colorado and settled near Longs Peak. During his travels, he encountered the naturalist John Muir, who changed the course of his life.

Enos Mills
photo from Wikipedia

Mills dedicated the remainder of his life to preserving the land around Longs Peak. At one point, it was said he wanted to preserve the area from Longs Peak to Pikes Peak, encompassing over 100 miles. With the help of groups like the Sierra Club and the Daughters of the American Revolution, he did accomplish the establishment of Rocky Mountain National Park in 1915.

In my upcoming book, Isabella, Mr. Mills makes an appearance. The story will be available in October.

Until next time,

Doris

Angela Raines - Amazon

Doris A. McCraw - Amazon

Mrs. Mills

Post by Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines

Photo (C) Doris McCraw

Do you know Mrs. Mills? Are you aware she championed her husband's cause and continued his fight after his death?

Born Esther Burnell in August of 1889 in Eureka, Kansas. As a consulting decorator, she worked for the Sherwin Williams Paint Company. A hard worker, she ended up with a nervous breakdown.

In 1916, she homesteaded near Estes Park, spending most of her time outdoors, walking numerous miles to get her mail or visit friends. This regime soon restored her health. She also designed and assisted in building her five-room cabin and built the furniture she used in the cabin.

Esther B. Mills
from Wikipedia

During this time, Esther met and spent time with Enos Mills. In 1918, she and her sister Elizabeth, who took a sabbatical, trained to be nature guides at Rocky Mountain National Park. This made the sisters the first certified nature guides with the National Park Service.

In August 1918, Esther married Enos. The couple had one child. Enos died in 1922. Esther continued her husband's fight with the park over access, finished her husband's writings, and helped restore Enos's reputation.

She passed away in April 1964 at the age of 74 in Englewood, Colorado.

Esther B. Mills

Books by Esther Mills

Until next time

Doris McCraw

Angela Raines - Amazon

Doris A. McCraw - Amazon