Horace Tabor Topic of Presentation at Haskell Free Library

Horace Tabor, the Silver King of the West, was born and raised in Holland, Vermont.

When Horace “Haw” Tabor died on April 10, 1899 in Denver, Colorado, upwards of 10,000 people attended his funeral. At one time Tabor, who was known as the Silver King of the West, and Silver Dollar Tabor, was one of the richest men in the United States. His was a true rags to riches story, one that, sadly, virtually ended in rags.

More than 100 years following his death, Tabor is renowned in the history of Colorado, a man who arrived in the region hoping to eke out a living. Striking it rich in the silver mines, Tabor became a living legend in the west, helping build Colorado to what it is today. He helped found Leadville, Colorado, a mining community in the Rocky Mountain region, became the state’s lieutenant governor, and even served for a short time in the U.S. Senate. Everywhere one turns in Colorado, especially in the Denver and Leadville area, there are reminders and tributes to the Silver King of the West – Horace Tabor.

The Matchless Mine in Leadville, Colorado, which was owned by Tabor, as it stands today,
a reminder of the silver rush of the 18-hundreds.

Meanwhile back in the community of his birth, a community that he left as a teenager in search of greener pastures and fortune, few people know about a native son who rose to become one of the wealthiest and most respected men in the United States. His hometown is Holland, Vermont, a tiny, rural community on the Vermont/Quebec border. Although members of the Tabor family still live in the region, there are no monuments or tributes to this colorful character that hails from this farming community.

The Tabor Opera House is located in the center of Leadville, Colorado. Tabor built the opera house in 1879. It stands today as a lasting tribute to the Holland native.

Come to the Haskell Free Library on Thursday, September 25 at 7 p.m. and hear the story of Horace Tabor’s journey from his unassuming life in Holland, to the Silver King of the West. The presentation is hosted by Scott and Penny Wheeler, the Publishers of Vermont’s Northland Journal, and the Haskell Free Library. Mr. Wheeler will serve as the presenter, including showing a projection show of his family’s trip to Leadville, Colorado, the community that Tabor built. The event is free and open to the public. Descendents of the Tabor family are also encouraged to attend as special guests, and maybe even share stories of their famous ancestor that were passed down to them.

People with questions can contact Scott Wheeler at (802) 334-5920 or by email at northlandjournal@gmail.com