"A Look Back"

The Stories presented here are about people and events during the early days when this corner of Colorado was first settled.

D.W. Diamond
By Shannan Koucherick for the Museum of NW CO

When we think of the people who made lasting impacts on the development of Craig, we usually think of those who stayed for decades, or even their entire life, but there was a handful of people who made lasting contributions in a very short time span.

Born October 8, 1855 in Ontario, Canada, Daniel W. Diamond was one of ten children. He began his working career as a cabinet maker, but found that the dust in the wood shop aggravated a chronic lung ailment.

He turned to photography, set up a studio in Pocatello, Idaho and recorded that city’s families for about six years before joining his mother and three of his brothers in the Yampa Valley.

His mother Mary had her own homestead near Craig, and his brothers took up land nearby as well but they all shared a home for a while. Dan set up his studio in the family home and promptly began to advertise his services to the residents of the area.

The Craig Courier of December 19, 1896 introduced him: “Mr. Diamond is an experienced photographer and parties wishing work of that sort will do well by giving him a call.”

He quickly became an integral part of the community and became friends with some of the town’s bachelors. He and Amos Bennet shared a love of photography and adventure and documented some of their hunting expeditions in amazing photographs. He realized the importance of extending his business area and soon set up a portable studio:

“Dan Diamond, Craig’s photographer has had his photo car mounted on wheels and during next month will visit Baggs and Dixon.” (Craig Courier, April 30, 1898) He also made trips to Meeker and Steamboat Springs to document families and architecture in those growing towns.

Diamond’s family was popular in the community as well. Mother Mary soon became “Grandma Diamond,” and often hosted parties and dinners at her home. Bachelor sons Samuel and Charles homesteaded in the Elk Head community and became known for their excellent horses.

Unfortunately, Dan Diamond faced a difficult struggle with tuberculosis. He found that he needed to escape the cold winters of the Yampa Valley and spent months at a time in New Mexico and Arizona. At one point, he was away from Craig for nearly two years but kept in contact with his friends and was welcomed back happily in 1901.

By 1903, things were going steadily downhill for Diamond and despite his involvement with several civic and fraternal groups, he was finding that the tuberculosis was taking its toll on his activities. He enjoyed his membership in Woodsmen of the World, but because of his weakened condition was unable to fulfill all the initiation rites.

That year wasn’t totally bad for the Diamond family however. The Routt County Courier of November 11, 1903 reported that a large group of Craigites turned out to honor Mary Diamond on the occasion of her 76th birthday. The paper reported that she was “showered with gifts before a grand meal.”

Diamond must have struggled with the knowledge that his health was getting progressively worse. He was able to make outstanding photographs of many of Craig’s early commercial buildings and homes as well as families and individuals who helped to develop the growing community. A few of his glass plate negatives survive today.

By the end of 1904, he could no longer keep up with his business: “I desire to sell my entire photo outfit consisting of backgrounds, chairs, camera, lenses, chemicals, printing frames, card stock, etc. as I intend (leaving) the country. Must sell at once and will sell cheap. Will dispose of part or all. Am still making pictures and will continue to do so until I sell out or leave. DWD” Routt County Courier November 10, 1904.

Dan Diamond didn’t make it to a warmer climate again. He died April 22, 1905 in Craig and is buried in the Craig Cemetery. His mother Mary lived until December 11, 1911 when she joined her son in the cemetery. Dan and his mother are buried next to each other in unmarked graves. His brothers Charles and Samuel continued to ranch together until their deaths about a year apart in the early 1930s.

We can still see the quality of the work that Dan Diamond did as we look at the record he left of early Craig and her citizens.