The Press and the Mason's - Victor, CO - Colorado Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

The panel reads:
VICTOR RECORD
The Victor Record, founded in 1896, was one of seven newspapers published in the City of Mines at the turn of the century. Fierce competition and labor-management strife often ignited local Passions.

During the 1903-04 Labor War between the Mine Owners Association and the Western Federation of Mine Labor Union, the Victor Record was a pro-union newspaper. While the Gold Camp was under martial law in September of 1903, the Mine Owners Association succeeded in getting the militia to arrest and jail editor George E. Kyner, along with four of his employees, and the Record was placed under censorship for its union sympathies. In June of 1904, the Record was raided again and this time the printing presses and linotype machines were destroyed. After the State of Colorado paid Kyner $4,000 to repair $1,000 worth of equipment damaged in the raid, he changed the papers policies to align with anti-union sentiments. With this change of alliance, the Victor Record survived the raids and became one of the most widely read newspapers in the Gold Camp.

Lowel Thomas, the internationally renowned journalist and CBS radio news broadcaster, started delivering papers for the Record as a member of the Newsboys' Union in 1902, when he was ten years old. Thamos got his start in journalism when he became the editor of the Record in 1911. When Thomas left to work for a competing paper, Ralph Carr took his place as editor of the Record. Carr later became a successful attorney and Governor of the State of Colorado from 1939-43. he is the only person from the Gold Camp to become Governor of Colorado. despite being rivals in their careers, Carr and Thomas maintained a life-long friendship.

MASONIC TEMPLE
The Masonic Temple was erected in 1900 as part of Victor's revival after the Great Fire. The second story clubhouse has been home to the Victor Masons and the Order of Eastern Star ever since. The building was a popular meeting hall not only for the Masons, but also for the international Order of Odd Fellows, Ladies of the Grand Army Republic, Modern Woodmen of America, Junior Order of United American Mechanics, Royal Neighbors and Unity Degree of Honor.

in the early 1900's, Sumner A. Hackley's Furniture Store occupied the first floor of the building where he sold "new and second-hand furniture, house furnishing goods, ranges and stoves of all kinds, tents, wagon covers, etc." During World War I, a steam laundry was operated on the first floor of the building by J.J. Jenkins who was the Grand Dragon of the KKK in Victor. Jenkins sold the Laundry to Jack Powers who operated it until World War II.

Recently the Victor Mason's building has been getting a new roof.

Group or Groups Responsible for Placement: The Gold Belt Tour County or City: Victor, CO (Teller County) Check here for Web link(s) for additional information: [Web Link] Date Dedicated: Not listed

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