The photography of Joseph Collier, Colorado, 1871-1910

by Kathleen Collier, Mary Collier Ross

Colorado has had its share of pioneer photographers, but perhaps none has contributed more toward preserving the images of the State's beauty and colorful past than Joseph Collier.

Originally trained as a blacksmith, Collier discovered an interest in photography while recuperating from a back injury. The interest soon developed into a vocation. Thirty-five year old Collier arrived in Central City from his native Scotland in 1871, having come at the invitation of his cousin, owner of the Daily Central City Register.

Almost immediately, Collier began venturing out into the wild and remote corners of the then Colorado Territory, photographing miners and mining camps, as well as the superb grandeur of Colorado's rugged mountains and beautiful valleys. Later, Collier expended his photographic coverage to include Denver people and places.

By the time of his death in 1910, Joseph Collier had left behind a magnificent legacy of Colorado's past.

197 photographic images

143 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anyone who's looking for a sampling of Collier's work will rate this higher than I did. I hoped for a little more about the man and perhaps for brief discussions about at least some of the photos. Didn't he leave any notes?