Buckskin Joe, CO |
Back
in the day, jobs were scarce for women. Positions that are mostly filled by a
woman in modern times, such as a secretary or a school teacher, were usually
filled by a man. Respectable positions for women included a seamstress, nanny,
and maid, but most homes couldn’t afford to pay for even one of these
positions. Single women who’d fallen on hard times and had no family to turn to
for help were often forced into prostitution as a means of survival. While the
profession is degrading to women by today’s standards, back in the day,
prostitution served a role in the expansion of the west.
The
Gold rush saw thousands of men pull up stakes and head west in the hopes of
striking it rich. Some brought their families. Oftentimes, a man struck out on
his own. Tent camps, small towns and cities sprang up throughout the west, and
where men gathered, one need was shared by all; a woman. Females desperate for
income or looking to escape a bad situation followed the men to provide a
service. But whether working in a lavish parlor house, crib, or an in-between
establishment, most didn’t get rich. And most never left the life of a soiled
dove. A few women rose to wealth and fame, and some had a heart of gold. One
such woman destined to help others now bears two legends—Silver Heels.
Dance Hall Girls |
Silver
Heels’ first legend states she was a parlor house girl and a dance hall girl at
Buckskin Joe, a mining town north Fairplay, Colorado. Many claimed she had a
beautiful face and could dance faster and more gracefully than the other girls.
She also wore glittering silver slippers, hence her nickname. It was said
children adored her because she sent to Denver for candy to give to them.
Legend
has it Silver fell in love with one of the miners and was engaged to be married
to him. Before the two wed, smallpox struck the Buckskin Joe area and the town
closed. Women went back to Fairplay, except for Silver. She stayed to help her
fiancée. Sadly, he was one of the first to die from the disease. Silver
remained in Buckskin Joe and moved from cabin to cabin to help the other miners
stricken with the disease. She kept their houses clean, cooked meals and washed
clothes all the while tending their illness. Once the epidemic broke, the town
returned to life. Those grateful to Silver collected money to give to her to
thank her for her help, but she couldn’t be found. She had secretly left town.
Still wanting to acknowledge her good deeds, the miners named the highest
mountain in the area after her.
Some
years later, a woman wearing heavy black veils visited the cemetery beneath Mt.
Silver Heels. The miners believed the woman was Silver Heels, returning to pay
respect to her fiancée’s grave.
Buckskin Joe, CO |
Silver
Heels’ second legend is more detailed and takes place in Dudley, which is
stated to be near Fairplay and Buckskin Joe. A young woman of great beauty
arrived in the mining camp, fresh off the stage from Denver. The crowd waiting
for the mail noticed she seemed lost and confused. Jack Herndon, owner of
Dudley’s main saloon and gambling hall, helped the woman. He took her to Mr.
And Mrs. Mack’s home, where she could rest and gather her wits. It’s said
during her stay with the Mack’s, the woman confided her past to Mrs. Mack,
which Mrs. Mack kept secret. Later, Jack learned the woman’s name was Josie
Dillon.
Josie
stayed with the Macks and helped in their kitchen. She also sent to Denver for
candy to give to the children, often inviting them to the Macks’ home where she
told them stories. During this time, she took a liking to Jack and the two fell
in love.
News
of the great Chicago fire spread to the area. As a community, the townsfolk
wanted to do something to raise money to help the people in Chicago. Several
ideas were suggested, but it was Josie who came up with the idea she would sing
and dance and if folks liked what they saw, they could leave a donation in a
box. Jack closed his saloon for this meeting and for two-day event featuring
Josie. She appeared on stage in a short, glittery dress most thought were
diamonds outfitted around the neck and edge of the dress. But it was her
slippers that earned her the nickname ‘Silver Heels’. Except for toes shining
in gold, her slippers were all silver.
Silver Heels Mountain CO |
The
citizens loved Josie’s singing and dancing so much that they donated over
seventeen hundred dollars to give to the people of Chicago. After that, Jack
sold his saloon and went into mining, and he and Josie continued to see each
other. Then two sheepherders came to town. Two of them came down with smallpox
and were the first to die. Josie, Jack and the Macks took care of those
stricken with the disease. Jack fell ill but did not die. During the epidemic,
it is said the miners remembered Josie’s performance and took to calling her
Silver Heels. Jack didn’t care for the nickname, but Josie allowed it, and shortly
after the crisis passed, Jack and Josie went to Denver, married and returned,
only to leave for Kentucky after Jack’s father died and his mother needed help.
After they left the area, legend states a survey crew came to the area. They
needed a name for one of the larger mountains. The miners suggested Silver
Heels and that’s how the mountain got its name.
Personally,
I like the first version of Silver Heels the best, but then, a little bit of
romance mixed with heartache and mystery is a fondness of mine.
No comments:
Post a Comment