Hill's Gold

by Ellen Kingman Fisher

Colorado Territory 1863: The Colorado gold rush was over. Mining was in a shambles. The Civil War still raged and Indian uprisings on the Great Plains made travel dangerous. Nevertheless, Nathaniel P. Hill was captivated by the rough frontier and tempted by William Gilpin’s invitation to investigate his land for gold and silver. Against his better judgment, Hill left his family and job as a chemistry professor at Brown University to work for the Colorado Territory’s former governor. The result was nothing short of a revolutionary boost to the fledgling Colorado mining industry and the rerouting of his and his family’s fortunes.

Genres: Historical Fiction

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Hank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not my usual choice of genre but well worth the diversion. Hill's Gold reminded me frequently of Angle of Repose and while not quite Pulitzer Prize winning quality, contained the same fascinating details of scrabbling out a living in 1800's western US. The difficulty of travel, dealing with harsh environments without central heating and synthetic fabrics and the inevitability of separation from family for months or years at a time were all represented well.

The parts I liked best were the dialogs and the details of life. Some of the narration didn't flow very well but that is a minor criticism. Full disclosure requires me to point out that I am related to the author and the positive review could be a tiny bit biased.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nathaniel Hill. I've often come across that name when I read anything to do with the early history of Colorado. This work of fiction introduced me to the man, and now I'm more likely to pick up something biographical about him.

This doesn't read like something by a professional writer, and in several places I wanted to rewrite a sentence, but overall, it kept my attention, and that's what counts.

A wish: That the author's note elaborated a little more on the nonfiction aspects of the book.

A disappointment: Hill was a chemist and taught chemistry at Brown University. Because of his training, he was asked to come to Colorado by William Gilpin (a territorial governor of Colorado). However, this story doesn't give any examples of how this knowledge was useful. Hill seems to rely on the miners and metallurgists more than on his own background.

[Kirstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing glimpse into the Colorado gold rush and the early years of Denver and the Colorado territories seen through the eyes of the real-life couple Nathaniel and Alice Hill. While Dr. Ellen Fisher was working at the Colorado State Historical Society, she encountered letters written between professor of chemistry, Nathaniel Hill, and his wife Alice, while Prof. Hill was investigating a method for extracting gold and silver from the Colorado bedrock. Dr. Fisher used those letters to spin a beautiful story of intellectual curiosity, perseverance and love.

Ellen is a master at using dialogue to bring life to her characters and settings. Alice Hill's first impression of Denver comes alive in the reader's mind, "There were more saloons than anything cultural and far more cattle than women." Her turn-of-phrase often brings a smile to my face. For example, when talking about the Brown University trustees, "They haven't forgotten that part. It's as fresh as newly dropped manure."

Hill's Gold is a highly recommended debut novel from a fresh new voice in historical fiction.

[Cam Torrens · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Hill's Gold" brings Colorado’s early mining days to life! Ellen Kingman Fisher charts Nathaniel Hill’s unexpected leap from Ivy League professor to frontier pioneer. Fisher's meticulously researched book captures the peril, grit, and financial uncertainty of the 1860s Territory, where war, failed mines, and hostile plains made every decision feel precarious.

Here are some things I didn't know before reading: how brave Alice Hill was; how morally questionable Governor Gilpin was; and how Nathaniel Hill’s tenacity and ingenuity transformed not only his own future, but the future of Colorado’s entire mining industry. As a resident of Colorado, who has made many trips back and forth to New Mexico, the descriptions of Central City, Fort Garland, and La Costilla struck a chord.

My hat's off to the author--she's delivered a vivid, well-researched look at one man whose curiosity—and stubbornness—changed Colorado.

[Mackay]

Read as selector for the Colorado Book Awards.