The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1922-11-16
.JULESBURG
CITIZEN IS
A PIONEER
w. H. ~WinterbOtham
Pitched Tent On
Banks of Boulder
Creek In 1859

w. H. Winterbotham, prominent res
ident of Julesburg, is one of the pio-
neers of the West. Mr.. Winterbotham
returned the latter part of last week
from short business trip to Boul-
der, and we herewith publish an ar
ticle pertaining to our fellow towns
man, which appeared in recent is
sue of the Boulder News-Herald:
"W. H. Winterbotham, who, as a
boy of IA years camped on the north
side of Boulder creek in 1859 when
there was not sign of house to be
seen, was in Boulder yesterday en-
route to Eldora to look over mining
claim.
"Where Boulder now stands there
was not trace Of anything placed
there or made by the hands of white
men," said Mr.. Winterbotham. "Di-
rectly across the creek from our camp
on the site of Old Gamble field, was
the camp of 500 Arapahoe Indians.
They did not bother us, nor we them,
but we were careful to keep watch
of their every movement.
sour family home was at Fort Mad
ison, la. My father had gone across
country to California in 1856 and re-
turned to Fort Madison. In the
spring OF 1859 ne started west again,
taking my older brotner and myself
with him.
I'VE had intended going to Pixies
peak, the search tor gold being our
mission. Reports that We neard from
traveiers on the way discouraged us
as regards the Plkes peak region,
and we decided to 60 on to California.
1--WE got AS lar as Fort Laramie,
Wyo., wnere my father decided after
all to go to flke's peak. We drove
our oxen down through Cheyenne
pass, wnere the city OF Cheyenne is
now located, and followed the front
range on down to the present site OF
Boulder.
I'VE camped here for several weeks
and then went up Boulder canon to
pan gold. We were able to make
about 50 day from our crude sluices.
Flour was $40 sack and everything
else in proportion, so it can be seen
that we are doing little more than
make ends meet.
"And after few weeks of gold
washing, we went up through the old
Gregory mines near the present site
of Gold Hill, back toward where Ned
erland IS now located and then turned
south. We went down what is now
loiaen Gate canon, emerging onto the
plains just north of wnere Golden
now stands.
"From there we went to Denver. 1t
was a custer or tents at that time
and all business was done under can
vass. Jim Denver was there, but not
a house had been built.
1--WE moved on to the Manitou
country and later into South Park,
from where we returned east.
"At Fort Laramie in Wyoming we
saw Horace Greeley, who was then
stationed there on some business for
the government.
"Mr. Winterbotham is II years old,
but in looks and actions would pass
for SIS. He is still nimble of feet,
clear of eye and keen OF brain. HIS
home is in Julesburg. He conducted
a successful grocery business there
for a number OF years and is now re-
tired.
"Some twenty-five or thirty years
ago Mr.. Winterbotham returned to
this section. In company with 9TH
ers he spent several years In the
Longs peak region prospecting. Al
though they covered the region thor
oughly, their efforts were OF no avail,
nothing but low grade ore being dis
covered.-Boulder (Colo). News-Her-