AS a casual observer whizzes by on Interstate 70 in Colorado, it is hard to imagine Idaho Springs and Clear Creek County as the place in the wilderness where the Colorado Gold Rush of 1859 began. However, tales of men who made millions in the golden era of mining around Idaho Springs are as abundant as the remains of gold mines that liberally dot the landscape around this historic town. Beth Simmons captures this great era with the liberal use of historical photographs and reports. Her story makes it obvious why the area has often been referred to as "The Buckle of Colorado''s Mineral Belt."
