Allen Nossaman died yesterday in Durango.
Allen was the former Silverton station agent for the D&SNG, served for a number of years as San Juan County Judge, was owner and publisher of the Silverton Standard and the Miner, wrote the 3 volume edition of "Many More Mountains" published by Sundance, and served as the inspiration and guiding force behind the creation of the San Juan County Historical Society and served as its first archivist for many years. Allen was a man of immense talent and intellect. His years with the newspaper spanned the abandonment years of the D&RGW for the Chama line and he proved to be one of the few voices in journalism to actively speak out against the railroad and its high-handed efforts at abandonment. He relentlessly pounded the railroad in a series of superbly written editorials
Allen was at work on volume 4 of his chronicle of Silverton's history and had written several chapters. When I last talked to him at the 100th anniversary celebration of Silverton's library several weeks ago, he was in fine spirits and was eager to continue his writing. Despite poor health and failing eyesight, the fire of writing was still with him.
Here is a picture of Allen at the Miehle flatbed printing the Silverton Standard about 1967, photo by Roger Cook:
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