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by Genevieve Faoro-Johannsen (Author), Robert D. Vigil Jr (Author), Tom Potter (Foreword by)
Before the Flood
The lost town of Sopris lies silently beneath the depths of Trinidad Lake. Once a thriving mining community in the late 1800s, it was renowned for abundant coal deposits and a bustling population. Three generations called Sopris home. They fought in the Civil War, homesteaded and immigrated to work in the mines. Unfortunately, the town's fate took a drastic turn with the construction of the Trinidad Dam, which flooded the area and submerged the town. Authors Genevieve Faoro-Johannsen and Robert Daniel Vigil, Jr. preserve an enduring legacy of community and resilience through first-hand accounts, historic photos and never-before-seen maps.
Author Biography
Trinidad native Robert D. Vigil Jr. is a member of the Trinidad Historical Society Board and the administrator for the "Trinidad Colorado Historical and Memorabilia Photos" Facebook page and employed at Trinidad Abstract and Title Company, preserving area history through land records. Genevieve Faoro-Johannsen's Italian grandfather began his career working in the Sopris mine. Her grandmother was born in Sopris to a Sicilian immigrant. She graduated from Pueblo South High School and attended the University of St. Mary (Saint Mary College) in Leavenworth, Kansas, earning a Liberal Arts degree.
