Women of the Colorado Gold Rush Era by J.v.L. Bell and Jan Gunia is a marvelous compilation of women of the wild and sometimes violent Pikes Peak Gold Rush years.

Ten women are featured, each unique in their own way, women whose lives profoundly affected those turbulent years. Probably many of the women named are unfamiliar to the reader, but all made their indelible mark in Colorado history.

Hard work, sacrifice and dedication made these ten women remarkable with their unsung heroism. The women—Native American, Hispanic, Anglo, and African American—had one thing in common: tenacity.

Women of the Colorado Gold Rush Era is meticulously documented with annotations at the end of each featured woman’s chapter. Also, throughout the book are marvelous quotations. One of my favorite is from the section on Tsashin: Clement J. Frost, a Ute Indian, said, “The land doesn’t belong to the Indians; the Indians belong to the land.”

I was impressed with the depth of systematic investigation conducted for each subject’s life, research gleaned in books and also through state archives, museums, local historical societies and libraries. Women of the Colorado Gold Rush Era is a valuable book for anyone interested in Colorado history, or for those who appreciate the role pioneer women played in paving the way for the future state of Colorado.