The town was organized from September 1880 to April 1881 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG, later known as the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad) as part of their efforts to reach Silverton, Colorado, and service the San Juan mining district, the goal of their "San Juan Extension" built from Alamosa Colorado. The city was named by ex-Colorado Governor Alexander C. Hunt, a friend of D&RG President William Jackson Palmer, after Durango, Mexico, based on his favorable impression of that city resulting from a scouting trip undertaken on behalf of Palmer.1.) DURANGO/DURANGO/COLO./BOTTLING WORKS. Aqua. 6 3/4 inches tall with P.G. CO. 156 on reverse at base. Case wear and circular scratches around the bottle. Interior haze and light staining at top. Preble dates this c. 1889.2.) G. MARTIN WIELAND/DURANGO/COLO. Purple 6 5/8 inches tall and has a 20 stamped on front bottom. Great clarity. Light case wear at base. Bumps around lip due to manufacturing. Dates c.1902 per Preble. 3.) SAN JUAN BOT ICE & MFG. CO/DURANGO/COLO. Purple and 7 inches tall. Unmarked base and excellent clarity. Marked 40 at front near base. Near mint & this viewer digs the bubbling that appears on the bottle's front. Dates c. 1900-03 per Preble.4.) SMELTER CITY/BREW/ASSOCIATION/DURANGO/COLO. Aqua and 6 3/4 inches tall. Case wear at base and around bottle exterior. Chunk of lip missing and also has a chip missing near chunk. Staining on bottle exterior and on interior lip. Marked 33 on reverse near bottom. Preble dates this bottle c. 1896-99. 5.) JOHN OLBERT & CO./DURANGO/COLO. Clear and 6 3/8 inches tall. Circle with line through it marking at base. No. 20 on front near bottom. Haze on interior and dirt. Case wear on exterior including white scratch marks. Minor blemish on lip. Preble dates this c. 1904-06. 6.) JOHN OLBERT & CO./DURANGO/COLO. Purple bottle 6 3/8 inches tall with LBW on base. No 20 on front near bottom. Case wear and nicks around base. Exterior marks throughout. Chips and scuffs at lip. White lettering on slug plate. Same dates as number 5 above.7.) JOHN OLBERT & CO./DURANGO/COLO. Clear and 6 3/8 inches tall. Circle with line through it marking at base. No. 20 on front near bottom. Light interior haze can probably be improved by cleaning. Case wear at base. Rough spots inside lip. As number 5 & 6 above, same date time frame. Fantastic collection of early bottles and a slice of Durango history.Date: Country (if not USA): State: ColoradoCity: DurangoProvenance: Gary Bracken Collection