Midas of the Rockies: Biography of Winfield Scott Stratton, Croesus of Cripple Creek

by Frank Waters, Marshall Sprague (Introduction)

This reprint makes available again Frank Waters’ dramatic and colorful 1937 biography of Winfield Scott Stratton, the man who struck it rich at the foot of Pike’s Peak and turned Cripple Creek into the greatest gold camp on earth. More than regional history, Midas of the Rockies is a story so fabulously impossible and yet so painfully true that it commends itself to the whole of America, the only earth, the only people who could have created it.

Genres: History

347 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Frank Waters was an American novelist, essayist, and cultural historian best known for his profound explorations of the American Southwest and Native American spirituality. Deeply influenced by his Cheyenne heritage and early experiences on the Navajo Reservation, Waters wove themes of indigenous identity, mysticism, and the clash between tradition and modernity into much of his work. His celebrated novel The Man Who Killed the Deer (1942) is considered a cornerstone of Southwestern literature, offering a powerful portrayal of a Pueblo man’s internal struggle with cultural dislocation. Over the decades, Waters produced an impressive body of work, including both fiction and non-fiction, such as Book of the Hopi, Mexico Mystique, and The Colorado, which blended mythology, history, and esoteric thought. A strong advocate for the arts, he held various editorial and academic positions and was honored with several awards. His legacy lives on through the Frank Waters Foundation, which supports writers and artists in the spirit of his creative vision.

Reviews

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who is interested in the history of the Pikes Peak area, should read this book (and I should read it again).

[Joseph Gendron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well told story by Mr. Waters that describes the amazing process of the exploitation of the mineral wealth of the Colorado Rockies in the later half of the 1800's. Stratton was a unique individual who liked his indulgences but also had compassion for fellow human beings.