In November 1924, the Moffat Tunnel surged past one-third completion, inspiring community pride and reflecting Colorado’s boundless potential.
Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago
The construction of the Moffat Tunnel—a monumental engineering project piercing the backbone of the continent—continued to progress rapidly in November 1924. The East and West Portals were celebrated as “forming open doors to the opportunity beyond the dreams of this generation,” according to the Rocky Mountain News on November 8, 1924.
Remarkable milestones, described as ‘splendid progress,’ were achieved this month. By November 15th, workers had reached the one-mile mark on the pioneer bore from the West Portal. Together with progress made at the East Portal, 36% of the smaller, pioneer bore was complete. The primary railroad tunnel saw equally impressive strides, with 2,723 feet drilled at the East Portal and 481 feet at the West Portal. The difference in progress between the two portals stemmed from the geological challenges: solid rock at the East Portal allowed for faster drilling, while the soft rock at the West Portal required extensive timber reinforcement.
The Steamboat Pilot on November 19, 1924, described the efforts in detail: “Headings of the main, or railroad tunnel, are now 33 per cent complete. The headings are the small tunnels which are later enlarged to the full size of the finished railroad tunnel. That the headings of the main tunnel are 33 per cent complete means that they are driven almost as far under the Continental [D]ivide as the pioneer tunnel, which parallels them.”
Even as engineers labored underground, cultural efforts were underway to rally public support for the tunnel and the promise it held. The Rocky Mountain News launched an essay contest for Denver schoolchildren, encouraging them to describe why the region unlocked by the Moffat Tunnel was remarkable for its “agricultural, industrial, recreational, scenic and health-giving resources.” Students were tasked with crafting essays between 500 and 1,000 words, with prizes ranging from $2.50 to $10.
The winning entry, penned by a student using the nom de plume ‘Bebob,’ captured the boundless potential of northwestern Colorado. Accompanying the essay was a request that any prize money be donated to the Community Chest fund—a testament to the altruistic spirit fostered by the competition. The contest also recognized other talented students: Elaine Meyer earned second prize, Deane A. Wither took third, and Jim Smith was awarded fourth, with each entry reflecting the excitement and promise surrounding the Moffat Tunnel and its transformative potential for the region.
Here is Bebob’s inspiring essay in its entirety:
COME TO COLORADO, SETTLE IN ITS NEW WONDERLAND.
By Bebob, a Denver School Student
Nowadays most every part of our country is well populated and opportunities limited by keen competition already established. Those districts yet unsettled are devoid of inducements for the newcomer with one exception—it is northwestern Colorado. This district has been locked up all these years by lack of transportation, which the construction of the Moffat Tunnel will open up.
What it will release to the world is so wonderful that one could write volumes upon volumes about this great virgin empire.
Always when settlers enter a new country they must not only endure hardships, but must help build up schools and churches in addition to their own homes. It is going to be a great surprise to the new settlers of this district when they arrive there and find pretty towns with every modern convenience such as electric lights, water works, smooth highways, churches, grade schools and high schools, with the best of teachers. Neither they or their children need undergo a single hardship such as settlers usually go thru in a new country.
There is not another place on earth where lovers of outdoor sports can find such a variety of pastimes within so few miles. This district is only 100 miles wide and long, yet it contains millions of acres of play grounds maintained by our federal government, where there exists a haven for hunters, large and small lakes filled with trout for the anglers, and miles upon miles of mountain trails for the hikers.
Here the healthseeker will find clean, comfortable cottages and modern hotels surrounded by many mineral springs of great curative power. The tourist on his vacation will have thrill after thrill gazing upon the gorgeous scenes in every direction from its mountain tops.
There awaits the farmer the most fertile valleys of America, already in growing crops of hay and grain, with modern homes and barns, which will be sold to him at low prices and easy terms. Where crop failure is unknown after forty years of continuous tilling by the cattlemen who were the trail breakers into this mountain region two score years ago. The dairymen will be greeted with rich feeds for his herds and national forests summer pasture where his cows can graze at a cost so low it seems unbelievable.
The coal miner and woodsman comes from his day’s labor in the Rocky Mountains fresh and happy. No exhaustion from heat or humidity. The climate is not equaled anywhere. His vacation hours are spent in hunting and fishing along mountain streams and lakes of cool waters shaded by handsome cedars and tall pines.
Those who will carry on in the towns will likewise enjoy the exhilarating atmosphere and outdoor mountain life of Colorado, for they have only to step out of their places of business and they are at the gateway, so to speak, of all I have just related.
Oh, come to Colorado, come now, do not delay: Bring your family, bring your friends and come right here to stay. Come out to our sunshine, fertile fields and mountains tall— Come to Colorado, where there’s health and wealth for all.
The Moffat Tunnel represented more than just an engineering achievement; it was a gateway to progress, opportunity, and community for northwestern Colorado. As these historic milestones demonstrate, its construction fostered dreams that extended beyond the rails—bringing people together to celebrate the promise of the region’s potential. From the workers in the tunnel to the schoolchildren imagining its future, the Moffat Tunnel became a shared story of ambition and hope, etched into Colorado’s past, present, and future.
Nota Bene: The photograph accompanying this post was published in newspapers in November 1924, but its purpose was not explained in the captions. Upon further research, the image depicts the lunch counter in the Water Tunnel at Crosscut #4, located one mile underground near East Portal.
B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | November 30, 2024
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