A Visit With The Tomboy Bride?

In “Tomboy Bride: A Woman’s Personal Account of Life in Mining Camps of the West,” Colorado historian Duane Smith provides a detailed account of Harriet Fish Backus’ adventurous life at the Tomboy Mine, high above Telluride, Colorado. Smith, who received his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado and began teaching at Fort Lewis College, has extensive research and writing experience in Colorado history, Civil War history, mining history, urban history, and baseball.

Backus, a pioneer woman, wrote a memoir about her life at the mine, which was published in 2003 by Western Reflections Publishing. The book is an addendum to a prior work, “Tomboy Bride,” which presents the first-hand account of a young pioneer woman’s life in a rough and tumble mining town of the Old West.

Harriet Fish Backus, who was the bride of assayer George, hopped on a train from Oakland, California, to the San Juan Mountains of Colorado at the age of twenty. Her life and those of her friends at the mine were a mix of past and present, providing readers with fascinating glimpses into an era long gone.

Smith’s book is an exciting trip into a wonderful vista, with a potpourri of Harriet Backus’ life and those of her friends at the mine. However, some critics argue that Smith’s commentary is repetitous and adds very little worthwhile new information.

In conclusion, “Tomboy Bride” offers a fascinating look into the life of Harriet Fish Backus and her friends at the Tomboy Mine, shedding light on the adventures and experiences of a young pioneer woman in the Old West.