Day 23 (D-38) Silverton / Prostitution! / The Silverton
Day 23 (D-38) Silverton
As the name suggests, Silverton is a former silver mining camp with an estimated 2019 population of 650.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2), all of it land. Silverton is one of the highest towns in the United States, at 9,318 feet (2,836 m) above sea level.
Here's a little interesting information about Silverton's past: Because the miners needed something to do after a hard day's work and a place to spend their hard-earned money, a number of dance halls, saloons, and bordellos sprang up in Silverton. During Silverton Colorado's ore extraction heyday, an imaginary dividing line down the middle of Silverton's main street separated the town between its respectable "Society" side west of Greene Street and its east side. The segment of town from the intersection of Blair Street and 10th Street, north to 14th Street became known as the "notorious" section of town. Guess which side of the dividing line Blair Street happens to be on? Of course, it's no coincidence that Silverton's Notorious Blair Street evolved into the red-light district of town. Histories of this colorful aspect of Silverton's past are filled with adventures and misadventures of prostitutes, or soiled doves as they were often referred to, and their clientele. Prostitution and gambling contributed heavily to the town's coffers. Each prostitute was required to pay a fine of $5 a month. But, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you", as the old saying goes. Therefore, looking the other way seemed to be more appropriate for the town's politicians. At one time in 1883, the town had approximately 117 prostitutes and it is thought to have had 29 dance halls and saloons. It's also not odd to note that all of Silverton's churches are located west of Greene Street!
This advertisement for the town gives us some advice: Visitors to Silverton are highly encouraged to explore for themselves, and delving into the history of Blair Street often involves the simple act of just walking down the street and talking to one of its many merchants. History comes alive as a rich and colorful tapestry of the way things used to be.
Here's a little interesting information about Silverton's past: Because the miners needed something to do after a hard day's work and a place to spend their hard-earned money, a number of dance halls, saloons, and bordellos sprang up in Silverton. During Silverton Colorado's ore extraction heyday, an imaginary dividing line down the middle of Silverton's main street separated the town between its respectable "Society" side west of Greene Street and its east side. The segment of town from the intersection of Blair Street and 10th Street, north to 14th Street became known as the "notorious" section of town. Guess which side of the dividing line Blair Street happens to be on? Of course, it's no coincidence that Silverton's Notorious Blair Street evolved into the red-light district of town. Histories of this colorful aspect of Silverton's past are filled with adventures and misadventures of prostitutes, or soiled doves as they were often referred to, and their clientele. Prostitution and gambling contributed heavily to the town's coffers. Each prostitute was required to pay a fine of $5 a month. But, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you", as the old saying goes. Therefore, looking the other way seemed to be more appropriate for the town's politicians. At one time in 1883, the town had approximately 117 prostitutes and it is thought to have had 29 dance halls and saloons. It's also not odd to note that all of Silverton's churches are located west of Greene Street!
This advertisement for the town gives us some advice: Visitors to Silverton are highly encouraged to explore for themselves, and delving into the history of Blair Street often involves the simple act of just walking down the street and talking to one of its many merchants. History comes alive as a rich and colorful tapestry of the way things used to be.
A google map of Silverton: https://www.google.com/maps/search/notorious+blair+street+Colorado++photos/@37.8152306,-107.6658131,16.2z
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To finish, let's return to trains.
C.M. McCall wrote a song about the train that takes us to Silverton.
The Silverton.
The Silverton.
Take a look here on youtube. Do take time to listen.
I think you will appreciate having the lyrics to look at while you listen.
C.M. McCall, a famous American country singer, like Willie Nelson who you could listen to on Day 16 of this blog, was also born in 1928.
This song might be a nice song-souvenir to buy when we are in Silverton! A music-souvenir of an incredible train ride.
I won't give you any photos of the extraordinary view from the train. We'll wait to experience it!
My best,
Jane
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--former = in the past; Obama is a former US president.
--information = Remember, "information" is an uncountable noun. This is one of the most common mistakes I hear "An information". Never. We say "some information" or " a bit of information" or "a piece of information." And never "informations".
-- spring up = to start to exist suddenly
--ore = rock or soil (de la terre) from which metal can be extracted
--heyday = the period of one's greater popularity, vigorously or prosperity
--happens to be on = se trouve par hazard
--the red-light district =
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/fr/dictionnaire/anglais/red-light-district
--soiled = dirty
--dove = a bird, the symbol of peace; rhymes with "love", not "move" , and not "dove" the American past of "dive" (British: "dived", not pronounced like "lived"!!!!)
--gambling = the activity of betting money, for example in a game or on a horse race; We won't have time to go to Las Vegas for gambling during this trip.
--coffers = coffres
--a fine = money that has to be paid as a punishment for not obeying a rule or law
--"Don't bite the had that feeds you." = to act badly towards the person who is helping you or has helped you (Ne crachez pas dans la soupe!)
--"as the old saying goes" = comme le dit le vieux dicton
--odd = strange
--delve = to make a careful or detailed search for information; plonger dans
--Do take = I'm using the emphatic form of the present tense, which uses the auxiliary do/does to insist that you take the time to listen to the song. Entertainment and English.
-- lyrics = the words to a song
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