Old Time Colorado Cowboy Reflections

About the Book

How much of history is lost over time because only the most exciting, or most dangerous, events were passed down through time?  Most “old west history” contains accounts of Indian attacks, gunfights in the streets, and famous outlaws and lawmen.  Although those events certainly occurred, it is doubtful that that is a true picture of everyday life in the early west.  The real story is that of the fortitude and perseverance needed by these early pioneers just to survive.

The true cowboy, although made into a hero by history and literature, only existed for about thirty of forty years, during the open range era of the west.  That era faded rather rapidly with the arrival of civilization in the form of the “Iron Horse” and homesteaders.

About the Author

Henry Frances Deter 1894-1986

Henry f. Deter spent his lifetime writing, but not professionally.  This is the first publication of his complete writings, almost twenty years after his death.  He contributed to some small booklets published by the Deer Trail Pioneer Historical Society.  Many friends and family members have enjoyed his stories over the years, but he, as most people, never considered events of his lifetime as history.  A lot of his writing was done after he retired, probably between the ages of 70 and 90.

Henry was a member of that amazing generation that saw so many significant changes in their lifetime.  Things we take for granted today, such as a telephone, an automobile, and a refrigerator, were all phenomenal inventions within his lifetime.