The 2013 Midland Days Story - continued on page 2 Mark Twain once said, “History may not repeat itself, but it does rhyme a lot.” For the last four years, since 2010, the Midland Days Symposium has been trying to rhyme and rhyme again about the history of the Colorado Midland Railway and the Midland Terminal Railroad, while at the same time providing a fund-raising venue to support the restoration of the Midland Depot at Divide. The 2013 Midland Days event may have been the best poetic rendition yet of “Midland” history and that effort. Traditionally, if one can evoke tradition from only four years of experience, Midland Days has occurred each year on the Saturday before Easter. Set in the historic old lodge of the John Wesley Ranch just south of Divide, Colorado, railroad enthusiasts and wannabes gather for a day to see and listen to Midland railroad history unfold before their very eyes and ears. Out- side, only a few feet away from the ranch’s boundary, the remnants of the Midland Terminal rail bed pass silently by. Those attending are entertained, informed, fed, enticed (to buy a few railroad souvenirs) and shown well over 500 historic photos throughout the day. Sometimes, there are archival movies, like last year, and sometimes actual people (usually old-timers who used to work on the railroads at a much younger age, or whose fathers did) are interviewed. But the numbers of remaining folks like that who are still around are getting fewer and fewer. There was one aspect of the 2013 Midland Days Symposium that definitely was an exception from the last three years – the gathering grew much larger! In the first year of the symposium, about 25 people managed to attend; and that number in- cluded the presenters. This year, over 56 folks attended Midland Days, easily twice as many as the first year. The popularity of the event along with good word-of-mouth pro- motion has helped Midland Days blossom into a regional happening. As a result, the organizers may have to effect some creative re-adjustments next year in order to accommodate even more people in the John Wesley Ranch lodge. “The lodge is the perfect venue for hosting Midland Days,” said Kenny Funk, director of the John Wesley Ranch, a retreat owned by the First United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs. “The wood paneling, log-beamed ceiling, the huge fireplace and the his- tory that oozes from the rafters make it an ideal location for the subject of railroads.” The Midland Days agenda for 2013 contained a variety of programs charting both railroad histories. After a good overview o f the Colorado Midland of the Midland Terminal, several special presentations followed, including: the history and operation of the r ail- roads’ roundhouse in Old Colorado City, a report on Well Fargo robberies that involved the “Midland,” a very comprehensive sum- mary of the “laundry trains” which ran from Aspen, Denver, Leadville, Grand Junction and other places to Glenwood Springs and a review of the history of the Midland Depot at Divide, as well as the recent restoration work done on the depot foundation this sum- mer. Midland Days is, and has always has been, a fund-raiser to support the Enlarge to 125% or more for best viewing. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated 18401 E. Highway 24, Ste. 100 Woodland Park, CO 80863 David Martinek Your Colorado Realtor Equal Housing Opportunity Vol. 8, Issue 3 - April 2013 Contact information : Direct Phone: 719.687.1516 Toll Free: 800.905.3811 Fax: 719.687.0488 Cell: 719.213.9335 Web: www.davidmartinekcb.com davidmartinek@ 1stchoicerealtycb.com or [email protected]The 2013 Midland Days Story Copyright 2006 - 2013 by David Martinek. All rights reserved Pikes Peak Photo by David Martinek Mel McFarland gave an overview of the Midland Terminal Railroad at the 2013 Midland Days Symposium, held on Saturday, March 30, at the historic John Wesley Ranch south of Divide, CO. Photo: D. Martinek
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The 2013 Midland Days Story - continued on page 2
Mark Twain once said, “History may not repeat itself, but it does rhyme a lot.” For the last
four years, since 2010, the Midland Days Symposium has been trying to rhyme and rhyme
again about the history of the Colorado Midland Railway and the Midland Terminal Railroad,
while at the same time providing a fund-raising venue to support the restoration of the Midland
Depot at Divide. The 2013 Midland Days event may have been the best poetic rendition yet of
“Midland” history and that effort.
Traditionally, if one can evoke tradition from only four years of experience, Midland Days
has occurred each year on the Saturday before Easter. Set in the historic old lodge of the John
Wesley Ranch just south of Divide, Colorado, railroad enthusiasts and wannabes gather for a
day to see and listen to Midland railroad history unfold before their very eyes and ears. Out-
side, only a few feet away from the ranch’s boundary, the remnants of the Midland Terminal
rail bed pass silently by.
Those attending are entertained, informed, fed, enticed (to buy a few railroad souvenirs)
and shown well over 500 historic photos throughout the day. Sometimes, there are archival
movies, like last year, and sometimes actual people (usually old-timers who used to work on
the railroads at a much younger
age, or whose fathers did) are
interviewed. But the numbers
of remaining folks like that who
are still around are getting fewer
and fewer.
There was one aspect of the
2013 Midland Days Symposium
that definitely was an exception
from the last three years – the
gathering grew much larger! In
the first year of the symposium,
about 25 people managed to
attend; and that number in-
cluded the presenters. This
year, over 56 folks attended
Midland Days, easily twice as
many as the first year. The
popularity of the event along
with good word-of-mouth pro-
motion has helped Midland
Days blossom into a regional happening. As a result, the organizers may have to effect some creative re -adjustments next year in
order to accommodate even more people in the John Wesley Ranch lodge.
“The lodge is the perfect venue for hosting Midland Days,” said Kenny Funk, director of the John Wesley Ranch, a retreat owned
by the First United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs. “The wood paneling, log -beamed ceiling, the huge fireplace and the his-
tory that oozes from the rafters make it an ideal location for the subject of railroads.”
The Midland Days agenda for 2013 contained a variety of programs charting both railroad histories. After a good overview o f the
Colorado Midland of the Midland Terminal, several special presentations followed, including: the history and operation of the r ail-
roads’ roundhouse in Old Colorado City, a report on Well Fargo robberies that involved the “Midland,” a very comprehensive sum-
mary of the “laundry trains” which ran from Aspen, Denver, Leadville, Grand Junction and other places to Glenwood Springs and a
review of the history of the Midland Depot at Divide, as well as the recent restoration work done on the depot foundation this sum-
mer. Midland Days is, and has always has been, a fund-raiser to support the