Beth Simmons
1 book in the catalogue, published 2004.
Beth Simmons is the author of A Quick History of Idaho Springs, an 86 page illustrated history of the Clear Creek County town. It is the only book on her author page here. We found no biography of her we could read, so we know her through the book.
About Beth Simmons
Our catalogue lists A Quick History of Idaho Springs as a 2004 Western Reflections book in the history category, with the subjects history and pictorial works. Goodreads shows an 86 page paperback first published in August 2004 and says the author uses historical photographs and reports to tell the story of the 1859 gold rush and the fortunes made afterward.
Goodreads credits a Beth Simmons with other books, but its page gives no details linking them to this author, so we do not list them. Nothing we read told us where she lives or how she came to Idaho Springs.
Books
What the books share
The single book here is about a single town. Idaho Springs sits in central Clear Creek County, and the description calls it a National Historic District built on gold and mineral hot springs. The book's subjects are history and pictorial works, so photographs carry part of the story. Mining comes first, tourism second, and the nickname the description quotes, the Buckle of Colorado's Mineral Belt, sums up the pitch for the town's place in the state's gold country.
The subjects this author is catalogued under. Open Library record.
Next steps for readers of this author
Searching for an ancestor in a mining camp
Try the surname with a place name in the newspaper collection, starting from 1859. Spellings vary, so test a few versions before you give up.
Asking the right office for a record
Before writing to the State Archives, decide whether you need a deed, a court file or a vital record. Their site separates those requests, which saves a round of email.
Telling the town's story to others
If you lead a local group, bring the book and a few printed newspaper pages to a meeting and ask members what they remember of the old streets.
Go deeper
The Idaho Springs book rests on photographs and reports, which sends curious readers to newspapers and public records. These two Colorado sources help you dig into a mining town's past.
Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection
According to the Denver Public Library, this Colorado State Library service includes more than 2 million digitized pages from over 553 different Colorado newspapers, from 1859 on.
Colorado State Archives
The archives keep permanent records of state and local government in Colorado. Its site has a request form, collections search and a genealogy and vital records page.
Good to know
Has Beth Simmons written other books for Western Reflections?
Is there more about the author?
Writers like this one are how the list was built
We have published Colorado and Western writers since 1996, and every submission is still read by a person. Send yours, finished or half written.