Early Eagle

Nestled into a scenic mountain valley at the junction of the Eagle River and Brush Creek, Eagle is a small mountain town that is often overshadowed by its famous ski resort neighbor, Vail. However, this thriving little mountain community claims a rich history of more than 100 years of spunk and fortitude. Eagle's robust character started with the miners who came to the valley in the 1880s seeking gold and silver. Then came the farmers and ranchers, who recognized another type of wealth in the fertile soils and abundant water of the valley. As for that spunk, the townspeople of Eagle were tenacious enough to wage a 20-year war seeking county seat status and progressive enough to keep a small town growing and thriving for over a century.

Author Kathy Heicher, working in collaboration with the Eagle County Historical Society, Eagle Valley Library District, and numerous private citizens, has compiled a collection of historical photographs and anecdotes that reveal Eagle's colorful history from the 1880s through the 1940s. That historical information offers insight into how the community became what it is today. Heicher is an award-winning journalist, a local historian, and has been a resident of Eagle for nearly four decades.