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REDSTONE • REVIEW
MARCH 16 / APRIL 13, 2022
OPPORTUNITY Isabella Bird and Lyons’ role in travel to Rocky Mountain National Park By Brianna Hoyt Redstone Review LYONS – Isabella Bird is internationally known for her intrepid travels in the 19th century. In 1873, she climbed Longs Peak and took on the moniker of “Mother” of Rocky Mountain National Park. Hoyt She was born in the United Kingdom in 1831 and became renowned for her travels. Her travels in the United States inspired her books The Englishwoman in America (1856) and Aspects of Religion in the United States (1859). She visited Colorado and wrote A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains, detailing her journey up Longs Peak and her life in Estes Park. Her memoir and her expedition up one of Colorado’s 14ers brought notoriety to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. Isabella Bird praised Colorado for its beauty and sunsets. Her published letters detail her explorations in Colorado, including her trip across the Front Range. Isabella Bird first attempted to reach Estes Park in 1873 from the mouth of the Big Thompson. After she initially failed, she traveled to Longmont, stopping at the St. Vrain Hotel on September 24, 1873, and then continued along the St. Vrain River. She eventually made it to Estes Park, where she met both Griffith Evans and Jim Nugent, the latter with whom she allegedly had a romance. Bird stayed at the Ranch House, which was owned by Griffith Evans. She was one of the many who made the trek to Estes Park for the thrill of climbing Longs Peak. Isabella Bird was like many travelers who had their
Outdoors enthusiast, traveler, and author, Isabella Bird brought attention to EstesPark and Rocky Mountain National Park after she scaled Longs Peak in 1873. sights on tackling Longs Peak. Both Griffith Evans and Jim Nugent, known as Rocky Mountain Jim, took on the challenge of climbing Longs Peak. Griffith Evans played a role in the foundation of Lyons as one of Edward S. Lyon’s business partners.
While living in Estes Park, Jim Nugent and Griffith Evans were involved in an altercation which resulted in Rocky Mountain Jim’s death. After being charged and acquitted for Nugent’s death, Griffith Evans moved to Lyons and purchased the Miller Road House. He renamed the building the Evans Homestead and converted it into a stagecoach stop and inn. Evans took advantage of its location at the “Double Gateway to the Rockies” and turned his new property into a profitable business venture. The property’s access road was the original road used by early pioneers on their way up to St. Vrain Canyon. It was situated perfectly to serve travelers to Estes Park and Allenspark. During the nineteenth century, there were three types of stagecoach stops. Swing Stations, also known as Living Stations, were every ten to 15 miles along stagecoach lines. Drivers could refresh their horses or cattle and continue on their run. Home Stations were situated every 40 to 50 miles along a line and offered more services. Passengers could purchase tickets at the station due to the fact that they were often a destination point. There were new drivers at these stations ready to take over runs with fresh horses. Passengers were able to purchase meals for $1 to $2.50. Travelers were also able to rest for 30 to 45 minutes before continuing their bumpy journeys. The last type of stagecoach stop were the Cattle Stations. These stops were like Home Stations but where livestock were kept to refresh teams. These stations were generally 100 to 150 miles apart. The Evans Homestead was most likely a Wayside Home for travelers. These inns functioned as a stagecoach staContinue Museum on Page 14
Two years since Covid hit and too many people are still struggling By Lory Barton Redstone Review LYONS – The minute Covid became a crisis is etched in my memory. I was actually in a meeting with LEAF leaders when Barton all of our phones started going off. School was closed. Offices. Restaurants. Everything came to a halt, and nobody knew what to expect. Understandably, people were scared. At LEAF and everywhere, the world changed. LEAF’s leaders, almost all of them volunteers, invented new plans and implemented them immediately. Demand for services skyrocketed. The community gave sacrificially to support the many local people in crisis. Every single individual who came to LEAF with a qualified need was helped. Thousands of people. LEAF started to become the Heart of Lyons.
That was year one. Year two of Covid continued in similar, and very different, ways at LEAF. Even as high emotions slowed down, the needs continued. Big needs, new needs, more people, still, than ever before. Our teams got really good at making fast adjustments, depending on the changing requirements and circumstances. As year two unfolded, LEAF’s teams continued working steadily, really without a break. And they are still working and working. They are the heart of Lyons. And people – new people, young families, young adults, folks we know and love – are continuing to come to LEAF with needs. And as in year one, we have helped every single one who came to us with a qualified need. Two years in, too many local people among us are still struggling. Folks who were barely stable before Covid have not yet made a comeback. Some who were stable before Covid are no longer so. Housing insecurity is a serious problem. For
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some, transportation is a concern. Paying for utilities is a challenge. The rising cost of food and fuel and housing are hitting people hard and creating new instabilities. All of these issues combined make for ongoing, long-term hardships. People in Lyons are hurting now, so we can’t wait while we look for bigger-picture and even systemic solutions to these problems. They need the ongoing, comprehensive human services supports that LEAF provides. So year two was a similar and new kind of struggle that continues today. For most of us, life has mostly stabilized since March of 2020. I read that incomes are up for many
people. And yet, charitable giving is down. We are all tired and worn down by the chronic stress and needs that Covid has forced upon us. I’m writing today to ask you to remember your friends and neighbors whose lives have not yet stabilized, and to remember those whose situations may be ongoing struggles, and give generously and regularly to LEAF as you are able. To be honest, donations to LEAF so far this year are down, but the need for our work is not. I have shared today about the difficulties of these years from a human services perspective. And about the devotion of Continue LEAF on Page 11
