Cripple Creek

[otowi]

And then there's the story about how Cripple Creek got its name: ItIt is said a cattleman was building a shelter close to a nearby creek assisted by a helper. The helper accidentally discharged a gun, wounding another man in the foot. The excitement and confusion frightened a calf, which broke its leg jumping over the creek. The calf was crippled causing the rancher to refer to the creek as "Cripple Creek." Wonder if that story applies to the others as well?

Cripple Creek also has lots of ghost stories. Go take a walk through the cemetery - life was very rough in the mountain mining towns and there are way too many children's graves. And prices were at times so inflated as to be extravagant even by today's standards.

And of course, the reason you can find that gold in Cripple Creek/Victor is because part of the area is old volcanic caldera.

Lots of interesting history and geology.

[djsmps]

Originally Posted by Carrera32

Everybody's right, or everybody's wrong, or everybody's partly right or everybody's partly wrong. As noted in the posts above, there are two songs: "Up on Cripple Creek," recorded by The Band (may have been written by Bob Dylan; remember, the Band played with Dylan, and there's some conjecture out there that he wrote it).

I've been a fan of The Band since the 60s, and a friend of Garth Hudson for 25 years. I've never heard any conjecture that Bob Dylan wrote that song. That is pure Robbie Robertson. And, In my opinion, the Cripple Creek in the song is probably not based on either place. It's just a cool name that fits the song.

[Carrera32]

djsmps - There's some chatter out there in the blogosphere that Dylan is claiming he wrote the lyrics. If you yahoo/google Dylan and Up on Cripple Creek, you'll get a lot of hits that seem to credit him with the lyrics (possibly by mistake or association). Until I started researching it a bit this morning (when I should have been working), I'd never heard that rumor either. Could just be confusion as Dylan and The Band had so much history together. I'm also a long time fan of The Band and also have no reason to question Robertson as the songwriter. Also agree that wherever the name came from, it just fits perfectly into a great tune. If Cripple Creek, CO wants to claim it as theirs, why not? Makes for a good story.

[djsmps]

That's totally weird if Dylan is claiming that. He co-wrote some songs with members of The Band, including 3 songs on Music From Big Pink, and shared credit. Stylistically, the lyrics on Cripple Creek are nothing like anything from Dylan, but very much like other Robbie Robertson songs.

Anyway, I had never heard this before. It makes me wonder about the whole "Paul is dead" controversy again.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[redbone44]

all the songs aside, i agree with all said. when i was out to colorado in june we ended up in CC and spent the nite at the CC motel at the end of town. They had some sort of rodeo days going on in town and had the main street blocked and had all sorts of vendors, bands playin and beer garden. actually pretty neat. we spent some time in the casinos then had the town shuttle take us back to the motel [that is a nice feature, takes you pretty much anywhere in town]. had a nice time, but all that said, i wouldn't do it again.