May 7, 2008

Book review: "High, Wild and Handsome" by Joanna Sampson

The story of Colorado's South Boulder Creek and Eldorado Canyon

Reviewed by Stan Dyer

My neighbors are some of the most interesting people. Whenever I sit down to talk with them, I never know what kind of information I will stand up with. It happened again last week. I sat down with life long Arvada resident, Orville Rock, and came away with not only another chapter of Colorado history, but also a new book to read, "High, Wild and Handsome, The Story of Colorado's South Boulder Creek & Eldorado Canyon.

I do not remember how we got on the subject, but we started talking about Eldorado Springs Resort. Orville recalled fishing up there just below the reservoir and how beautiful the canyon is. It is great fishing too. I just remembered going to the swimming pool up there when college-aged kids could buy 3.2 beer at the store next door, take it into the pool and enjoy a cool, summer afternoon in the sun. They actually had one of the State's last high-dives at the pool back then. Orville also told of Ivy Baldwin. Ivy Baldwin is the former Arvada resident who helped make himself and the resort famous with his high-wire acrobatics. I have to confess. I did not remember hearing the name before, but I recognize it now.

Ivy Baldwin was the 5' 3", 100 lb. aerialist who used to walk across South Boulder Creek in Eldorado Springs on a high wire using only a 26-foot, 10 lb pole for balance. Born Will Ivy, he ran away with the Circus at an early age, ended comint to DenverwithJohn Elitch in 1890,and later became a balloonist /parachutist in the Spanish-American War. After the war, he adopted his performing name and continued his career. His first crossing of the canyon came when he was 41 and, when he made his last crossing at age 82, he had done it 87 times. Although Baldwin died in 1953 at age 87, the wire he used remained in place until it was removed in 1974. The book does not go into much detail about Baldwin, but it does record his celebrity and much more of the known history of the area.

With 13 chapters, the book covers everything from early settlement of the area all the way up to its establishment as a City of Boulder Open Space. The version I had was in manuscript form, in need of some editing, but contained an extensive bibliography and source list. Anyone wanting to either research or dispute the information is supplied plenty of background material. My particular interest was in the history of the Eldorado Springs Resort itself.

I was struck by the hardship the Resort suffered in the period from December 1929 until well into 1939. Not only was the country in the midst of the Great Depression, but the ten-year period saw all or a number of the resort buildings burn down about every two years, and, when fire was not taking away the infrastructure, water was. Floodwaters roared through the canyon in 1938 and washed everything out the other side including the musical instruments of the band performing at the dance hall. Today, the area is spotted with personal residences, and many of the historic sites, such as the cemetery, are inaccessible because they are now on private land. Nonetheless, the area is not only a historic area and open space, but also a National Park with many attractions for all. You can visit almost any day during the summer and watch climbers test their skills on the walls of the canyon.

I rate the book an "A". It is an interesting read and a great source of information for anyone interested in history. It is evident that Ms. Sampson spent a lot of time in research and took the time to list her sources in the extensive bibliography. Even if readers do not like or agree with her story, they cannot dispute her efforts at research.