(reprinted from the first through seventh edition)

For Research Aid:

As in all of my historical work, I want to thank the alert and unusual staff of the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library—Alys Freeze, Opal Harber, Katherine Hawkins, Mary Hanley and James Davis—who have been known to find needles in haystacks. At the Colorado State Museum, Agnes Wright Spring and Laura Ekstrom are always generous; as is Lorena Jones at The Denver Post.

The Lake City area was made informative and hospitable by the Joel Swanks and the Lowell Swansons. Hahns Peak research was aided by Maurice Leckenby of Steamboat Springs and Herman Mahler; North Empire, by Louise Harrison, “Wise” and Tulley Nelson and Mac Poor; Turret, by Steve Frazee; Bonanza by Mrs. Olle Olson; Lenado, by Jack Flogaus and his son; Lulu City, by Carolyn and John Holzwarth; St. Elmo, by Jody Grieb and Marie Skagsberg; Stumptown by S. L. Logue; Ashcroft, by the Stuart Maces; Pandora, by Fran Johnson and John Wise; and the Wet Mountain Valley towns by the Pierpont Fullers.

For Proofreading:

Mrs. Bryant McFadden and Beatrice Jordan have kindly helped with the search for typographical errors and have made suggestions about style.

For Photographs:

We, Dan Peterson and I, are especially indebted to Jim Davis of the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library, and Lorena Jones of The Denver Post for running down historic photos of our special ghost towns. When Dan Peterson was unable to go personally for contemporary shots, numerous other friends helped with picture-taking or with transportation for research.

Ed Hargraves of Creede loaned his jeep five times for the trip to Bachelor where the weather was continuously uncooperative. It was piloted by Orin Hargraves, “Ish” Stewart, Paulette Campbell, “Frenchy” Slanakin and Lonny Rogers. Dixie Munn and Lillian Hargraves, also of Creede, drove me on successive trips to Spar City where Mrs. Dorothy Reubling and Dr. O. W. Longwood aided with research and photographs, Jack Rigg jeeped down from Summitville to Jasper on the Alamosa River to fetch and return me, generously giving a whole day to entertainment, education and picture-taking.

Photos that we lacked were obtained for us by Bryant McFadden, Robert Richardson, Virgil Jackson, Ed Nelson, J. B. Schooland, M. R. Parsons, Robert Symonds, and Michael Davis.

This list of friends, in fact, could be extended almost indefinitely—so best I terminate with a heartfelt “thank you” to all the above, and sundry unnamed, for many kinds of help.

C.B.—1961