We don’t know his name, but we do know some of his story. While Alfred Israel was fighting in the 1st Infantry Division for the U.S. during World War II, his nephew was struggling to survive in a concentration camp after losing his family there. Upon the end of the war, Israel’s nephew traveled to Denver, where he lived with his Uncle Alfred and stayed in the house until his own death. When cleaning out the house, his uncle’s military locker and suitcase were easily found. But even more moving than that, hidden in a cigar box in a crawspace, cleaners found the yellow Star of David the nephew had been forced to wear at the camp.
Steve Lewis/Durango Herald
These overalls once belonged to a Mr. Clinkenbeard, who was too old to serve in the military during World War II, but, determined to support the war effort, he went to work at the Gates Foundry in Denver. Vintage clothing like this can tell a story of a different place and time.
Steve Lewis/Durango Herald
If you were a kid growing up in Pueblo in the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s or ’80s, it’s highly possible Dr. Donald Sceats was your pediatrician. Now 93, the Canadian-native World War II veteran and naturalized U.S. citizen finally had to clean out his four-story Victorian home because he was moving in with his daughter. The Dragts scored closets-full of vintage clothing from the move, including his bowling shirt and these cowboy boots from the 1940s sporting an American eagle symbolizing his new country.
Steve Lewis/Durango Herald
The former owner of this jacket, still a resident of Durango at 83, lettered in track, basketball and three years of football at Durango High School. After graduating in 1950, he went on to attend Fort Lewis College at the Old Hesperus Campus, where he also lettered in sports playing with the Aggies. He also sold his letter jacket from FLC to the Dragts. “Some folks from the FLC Athletic Department came in and drooled over that,” Tom Dragt said. “But (designer) Ralph Lauren’s personal chiropractor saw it when he came in and bought it for Mr. Lauren.”
Steve Lewis/Durango Herald
Mr. Clinkenbeard was too old to serve in the military during World War II, but, determined to support the war effort, he went to work at the Gates Foundry in Denver. Much older than his wife, he preceded her in death by 36 years, but she saved everything until her death last year in her 90s. Much-used and much-darned, these overalls tell a story of hard work and patriotism.
Steve Lewis/Durango Herald
A pristine pair of silk pajamas comes with a poignant note: “Whoever gets these pajamas, please do not wear them. They were a gift from my son Richard in 1936.” Clearly, whoever owned them next took the note to heart, as the pajamas remain unworn and in store shelf-worthy condition almost 80 years later. They may remain pristine because who could wear them after reading that note?
Steve Lewis/Durango Herald
Available in its original box, this hat shows up in a photo of the owner aboard ship en route to a tour in Europe in 1930 with the Simmons (now Hardin-Simmons) University Cowboy Band from Abilene, Texas. It was during that tour that the band picked up the moniker of “World-Famous.” The band is pictured in the photo with U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes. Nowadays, the hat makes public appearances atop Tom Dragt’s head during the Durango Heritage Celebration and Cowboy Poetry Gathering.
Steve Lewis/Durango Herald
She may not have been Betty Grable or Marilyn Monroe, but Mrs. Clinkenbeard had the swimsuit for it in the 1950s. As she was quite the seamstress, the Dragts also bought a number of clothing items she made – and repaired – during her nine-plus decades. In addition to holding on to her husband’s clothing for 36 years after his death, she also preserved the clothes from her own lifetime – thriftiness that comes from living through the Depression.
Steve Lewis/Durango Herald
Whether they represent growing up in Durango in the late 1940s, surviving a concentration camp in World War II or making sure generations of kids in Pueblo grew up healthy, vintage items have been places and been part of events that nothing bought in a store today can match.
For Tom and Carrie Dragt, owners of Old Colorado Vintage, 1021½ Main Ave., the stories are almost more compelling than the merchandise they carry.
“It’s really sad sometimes,” Tom Dragt said. “We go to these estate sales and find photo albums no one wants – or maybe there’s no family left to want them.”
But they are heartened by how much young people delight in the stories.
“Of course, the 1980s are ancient history to them,” Carrie Dragt said with a laugh.
Flip through this slideshow to see the items and read about their provenance.