Colorado and the Silver Crash

Colorado and the Silver Crash

In 1893, international financial crises and U.S. Government policies sent the price of silver crashing through the basement. Silver mines and smelters shut down, railroads went bankrupt, banks failed, and tens of thousands of Coloradans found themselves unemployed and homeless. Charity organizations were overwhelmed by the flood of destitute citizens. The western Silver Crash happened in the midst of a national economic depression known as the Panic of 1893, making conditions far worse. In Colorado and the Silver Crash: The Panic of 1893, John Steinle traces the financial, social and political ferment in Colorado during the 1890s, leading to labor strikes and violence. Using contemporary newspaper accounts and more than 100 photos, Steinle brings to life the desperation of Colorado’s people as they struggled to survive amid America’s first great depression, and he traces how Colorado and the nation were able to recover.

About the Presenter

John Steinle, a native of Hamilton, Ohio, served as Director at several Ohio museums before moving to Colorado in 1992. In 1994, Steinle became the Administrator of Hiwan Homestead Museum in Evergreen, Colorado, working for Jefferson County Open Space. He was later promoted to History Education Supervisor and Region Supervisor for the Bear Creek Region. He retired in 2016.