1917 Train Wreck In Akron Colorado

June 1, 2007 5:49 AM

I would like to find some information about a train wreck that happened in or near Akron, Colorado on July 17th, 1917. Does anyone know how I can discover any additional details online?

My 80+ year old grandmother lives in Akron, Colorado. The town just put up a marker on a large mass grave site in the town cemetary that reads "in memory of the unknown people who died in a train wreck on July 17, 1917". She is something of a western history buff and would like to know more about what happened. She has tried asking at the local newspaper, but apparently their archives were destroyed in a fire. She has also asked everyone she comes in contact with in town and no one seems to know any more information than what is printed on the marker.

The Denver Post only has online archives back to 1993. Older newspapers are available on microfilm in the Denver Public Library, but unfortunatley I live in Boston and a trip in to Colorado is not planned for the near future.

So, can anyone point me in the direction of additional resources that I might be able to search online?

posted by rglasmann to education (6 comments total)

Colorado's Historic Newspaper Collection (via Colorado Virtual Library)
posted by healthytext at 6:24 AM on June 1, 2007

I cannot find a single mention of this accident anywhere online -- I searched healthytext's link pretty thoroughly, and also searched a couple of history databases, railroad history sites, and local Colorado library catalogs.

I would call the librarian at the Akron Public Library: [phone]. If she doesn't have this information, she could connect you with the Akron Cemetery (for which I could not find a phone number). I suspect they would have some information about the event, or at least be able to tell you what government agency or individual was responsible for funding the memorial.

Two other sources that might be useful: the library at the Colorado Railroad Museum, and the Akron Chamber of Commerce.

As a last resort, you might also consider paying the fee for a reference search at the Colorado Historical Society. I did look through their catalog, and did not find any reference to a railroad accident in 1917.
posted by Siobhan at 8:49 AM on June 1, 2007

I guess you can't contact the town and ask them about it? They put up the marker, so they must know something about the incident.
posted by DMan at 9:40 AM on June 1, 2007

The Boston Public Library (the main branch in Copley Square) has the Denver Post going back to 1900. The catalog record is fairly sketchy, but it appears to be actual old newspapers and not even microfilm. If you contact the library they will probably be able to help you find the right issues. And if they don't have it, or if there is another Colorado paper you think might have more information, they can request it for you through Interlibrary Loan.
posted by teaperson at 10:22 AM on June 1, 2007

Thanks very much to those of you that provided online resources. The resources themselves are fanstastic, but unfortunately, we still haven't found any information on the accident itself. There is a surprising lack of information available in the town (either that, or no one is talking :-). I'll update again if we find any additional details before the thread closes.
posted by rglasmann at 7:07 AM on June 4, 2007

I stumbled on your post while doing geneaology research about my family, some of whom lived in Akron, Colo 1900 - 1925 or so. My great-grandfather was then the station master (I believe) at Akron &/or possibly Brush. I have searched thru every article or source I can think of online and can find ZERO mention of a train wreck/incident in Akron in July 1917. All I can offer is that I will ask other family members of any knowledge or stories along these lines & try to post it if there is any confirmation. I find it amazing that there is ZERO mention online of train mishap, if it did indeed occur in Akron on/about that date. I searched everywhere I could think of regarding RR info & records, as well as Colorado records available online and found nothing. Wish I could offer more.
posted by EBrady at 2:56 PM on June 23, 2007