Denver's Oldest Restaurant, The Buckhorn Exchange

Located at 1000 Osage Street in Denver the restaurant opened its doors on November 1893 as a saloon called "The Rio Grande Exchange"  

 Now a National Historic Landmark, it had Colorado's first liquor license. The founder, Henry Zietz, was a colorful figure of the Old West, and in his younger years, was a scout with Buffalo Bill Cody.  During those years, the great Indian leader, Chief Sitting Bull, dubbed Zietz "Shorty Scout," in reference to his diminutive stature.

   The restaurant was located directly across Osage street from the Rio Grande Railroad yards. The second-story of the building was the Buckhorn Lodge which house railroaders for the night. 

 Each Friday, the railroaders scrambled across Osage Street to exchange their paychecks for gold. In return, Zietz also handed each man a token good for free lunch and a beer figuring a railroad man wouldn't stop at just one beer. 

 President Theodore Roosevelt visited in 1905, and purportedly asked Shorty Scout to hunt big game with him after dinner. Other presidents who dined there were Dwight Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter and 

Ronald Reagan.

Other visitors or diners included Bob Hope, Jimmy Cagney, astronauts Scott Carpenter, Jack Swigert, Royals Princess Anne, Garth Brooks, Von Miller:  Wayne Gretzky, and Dana White.

Not for the faint of heart, Buckhorn Exchange now is home to loads of historical artifacts and over 500 mounted animals.

 

 Traveling Ken

The menu reflects the original offerings of long ago. Appetizers include: Rocky Mountain Oyster, Smoke Buffalo sausage, Grilled Duck breast, Fried alligator tail, boneless rattlesnake marinated in red chili and lime.  

 Colorado Springs Gazette

Dinner includes beef, of course. The famous Big Steak, anywhere from 1 1/2 pounds to 3 1/2 pounds, will serve 2 to 5 guests. Buffalo served several ways is available, as is wild game including elk, Cornish game hen, quail, duck and salmon. There are combo platters for the adventurous. 

 Buckhorn Exchange in Denver. Photo: Shelby L. Bell

Deserts are pretty basic with rocky road brownies, cheesecake, ice cream and sorbet, and Dutch Apple Pie. 

                            

                Deserts are pretty basic with rocky road brownies, cheesecake, ice cream and sorbet, and Dutch Apple Pie.                              So if you are looking for something different food-wise, with great historical ambiance, try the Buckhorn Exchange 303-534-9505

My Stories: 

Western Romance: Break Heart Canyon * Undercover Outlaw * Cowboys, Cattle and Cutthroats * A Cowboy’s Fate*Special Delivery. 

Contemporary Romantic Thriller: Fatal Recall

Medieval Romance: The Dragon and The Rose * Iron Heart        *Promise Me Christmas. 

Victorian Romance: Lady Gallant * Victorian Dream 

Fantasy: The Fae Warriors Trilogy: Solace * Bliss * Portence 

Blog   www.ginirifkin.blogspot.com

Facebook    https://www.facebook.com/people/Gini-Rifkin-Author/100001680213365

Amazon author              https://amzn.to/2R53KA9

Pinterest                       https://www.pinterest.com/ginirifkin/pins/

Goodreads                    http://bit.ly/2OnHbrK

Barnes and Noble         http://bit.ly/2xPs9S4

AudioBooks                 https://adbl.co/2OlWbGJ

LinkedIn        https://www.linkedin.com/in/gini-rifkin-15950489/

Universal link                https://books2read.com/u/3JLGMv

Victorian Hair Jewelry

      Not the kind you wear in your hair, the kind made from hair. 

   Although treasuring hair from deceased loved ones goes back to medieval times, it is more noted in the 1700's. Human hair does not readily decay with the passing of time, and has qualities allowing it to last for hundreds, possibly thousands, of years. 

  English knights and other men, might receive lockets containing wreaths or hearts woven from their fair lady's hair. 

    The custom using head hair truly flourished during the Victorian era. Buyers of human hair traveled the countryside, purchasing locks often in exchange for scarves, ribbons or other small luxury objects. This hair was used by craftsmen and goldsmiths. 

 

                      Band of lace from human (head) hair, made as a love token and likely worn as a bracelet, ca. 1640-1680, from the collection at the Victoria & Albert museum.

                                

    But, hairwork, as it was known, was not just for the wealthy; it was a way for people from various social classes to express their grief and sentimental feelings. Eventually women of the 19th century began crafting their own hairwork at home. In America, popular magazines of the period, such as this one and others like Godey's Lady's Book, offered printed patterns and the sale of starter kits with the necessary tools for success. 

   The practice is also mentioned in literature. Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (1847) finds Heathcliff switching the hair from his rival Linton's for his own in the locket around deceased Catherine’s neck. Now a fragment of his body will go to the grave with Catherine, to intermingle with her for all times. Of course, Heathcliff’s plan is foiled by Nelly Dean, who comes along and twines rival Linton’s lock around Heathcliff’s perpetuating the lifelong feud.  

The practice to create a keepsake from your loved one's hair continues today with many websites available And you can visit Leila's Hair Museum in Independence, Missouri. https://leilashairmuseum.net/

But take care. Hair is often used when casting spells!   

In Victorian Dream, my heroine Trelayne St. Christoper, didn't have time for making hair jewelry. She was too busy trying to run her father's shipping company and resisting falling in love with a Yankee see captain.  

1851 England & America.

    Trelayne St.Christopher, a cosseted young English woman, dreams of falling madly in love, just like the daring women in her purloined novels. Now faced with adult responsibilities for the first time in her life, she leaps at the opportunity to manage her father’s shipping business. 

    But when she ignores her prophetic nightmares in favor of passionate daydreams, her best laid plans go terribly awry. 

     Emotionally scarred following the death of his wife, Yankee sea captain Walker Garrison bans romance from his personal manifest--shipbuilding is his only passion. 

   The transatlantic partnership between Walker and Trelayne’s father seems a grand idea until her parents are critically injured and one of Walker’s crew turns up dead. 

    On the trail of the man responsible, Walker sets sail for England. After meeting his new partner's daughter, protecting Trelayne and not falling in love with her may prove impossible. 

Available here

https://books2read.com/u/4jzMyY

Blog   www.ginirifkin.blogspot.com

Facebook    https://www.facebook.com/people/Gini-Rifkin-Author/100001680213365

Amazon author              https://amzn.to/2R53KA9

Pinterest                       https://www.pinterest.com/ginirifkin/pins/

Goodreads                    http://bit.ly/2OnHbrK

Barnes and Noble         http://bit.ly/2xPs9S4

AudioBooks                 https://adbl.co/2OlWbGJ

LinkedIn        https://www.linkedin.com/in/gini-rifkin-15950489/

Universal link                https://books2read.com/u/3JLGMv

Postcards, a bit of history.

     Do you own, or have you inherited a box of old postcards? You might have something special in your closet. 

The most expensive postcard ever sold was a card sent by writer Theodore Hook to himself in 1840. It went for £31,758.75 ($45,370.60) at a London Stamp Exchange auction in 2002. The card is considered to be the oldest postcard in the world

   The first privately-issued postcards in the United States were sold in 1861, but the first government-issued postcard was not issued until 1873: Stamp collectors distinguish between postcards (which require a postage stamp) and postal cards (which have the postage pre-printed on them).

 

 The value of a postcard is affected by several obvious factors: 

Age: Postcards issued after the 1960s are generally not very valuable. The postmark on the back of the card can help determine its age. 

Size: Cards larger than 5" x 3" were only popular in the United States after the 1960s. 

Condition: The condition of the postcard can affect its value. 

Rarity: Rare and unique postcards are more valuable. 

Subject matter: Postcards with rare or unusual subject matter, such as historical events, famous people, or scenes from long-gone places, are more valuable. 

Signature or message: Postcards with a signature or message of historical importance are more valuable. 

Stamps and postal markings: Stamps and postal markings can increase a postcard's value. 

1893

The first picture postcards in the United States were sold at the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. 

  Cards showing images increased in number during the 1880s. Images of the newly built Eiffel Tower in 1889 and 1890 gave impetus to the postcard, leading to the so-called "golden age" of the picture postcard.

   The stage was now set for private postcard industry to boom, which it did once the United States government changed the postage rate for private cards from two cents to one in May 1898.  

   The peak came sometime between 1907 and 1910 for the United States. Then the effects of tariffs made a large impact, and escalating hostilities in Europe made it difficult to import cards and ink into the United States. After the war, the demand for postcards decreased, especially as telephone usage grew. The postcard was dubbed the "poor man's telephone". 

  

But the cards didn't die out, and evolved from paper to linen to Photochrom. Remember the vacation cards? The older ones are a bit of history saved for us to savor. 

 

Here's my Antique Estes Park Postcard.

This tourist post card was sent from Estes Park, Colo to Longmont, Colo back when stamps were only 2 cents! The recipient was Kenneth Clark.         

       Made on extremely thin leather, or product there of, it's not only a nice hello, but a Burro-meter 

                          

My rescue donkey Jack thought this was funny. Rosie, not so much. Here are a few more cards I have.           

        

    Look in your attic or basement, checkout the thrift stores, who knows you may find a fortune in postcards. Or maybe your hero or heroine receives a postcard that starts them on a grand adventure, a mystery, or the path to love.  

My stories: 

Western Romance: Break Heart Canyon * Undercover Outlaw * Cowboys, Cattle and Cutthroats * A Cowboy’s Fate 

*Special Delivery. 

Contemporary Romantic Thriller: Fatal Recall

Medieval Romance: The Dragon and The Rose * Iron Heart        *Promise Me Christmas. 

Victorian Romance: Lady Gallant * Victorian Dream 

Fantasy: The Fae Warriors Trilogy: Solace * Bliss * Portence 

Blog   www.ginirifkin.blogspot.com

Facebook    https://www.facebook.com/people/Gini-Rifkin-Author/100001680213365

Amazon author              https://amzn.to/2R53KA9

Pinterest                       https://www.pinterest.com/ginirifkin/pins/

Goodreads                    http://bit.ly/2OnHbrK

Barnes and Noble         http://bit.ly/2xPs9S4

AudioBooks                 https://adbl.co/2OlWbGJ

LinkedIn        https://www.linkedin.com/in/gini-rifkin-15950489/

Universal link                https://books2read.com/u/3JLGMv