Palmer Biography wins CAL Award
- Details
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 June 2011 09:10
- Written by Joyce Lohse
Filter Press − Doris Baker, Publisher
Centennial author Joyce B. Lohse received the Colorado Authors’ League top award in Juvenile Nonfiction Books for General William Palmer, Railroad Pioneer. The annual C.A.L. Awards Banquet was held on Tuesday, May 11, 2010, at Denver’s Hilton Garden Inn. Lohse’s book is her fourth title in the popular “Now You Know Bios”series from Filter Press, which currently offers thirteen books. She 
combines extensive research and historic photographs to create biographies appealing to history buffs of all ages.
General William Palmer connected Colorado to the rest of the nation when he built the Denver & Rio Grande railroad line. A Civil War hero, Palmer followed his dreams west to build railroads. He pushed routes through the difficult terrain of the Rocky Mountains instead of around them with his narrow-gauge “baby railroad”, transporting people and goods for industry, mining and growth. New towns such as Colorado Springs, which became his home, flourished along the way. Founded and settled by Palmer with his wife, Queen, the community thrived. They built an estate called Glen Eyrie, which still exists. Their pioneer story of fortitude and development had a major impact on the history of the American West.
Joyce B. Lohse, of Centennial, Colorado, combines her background in journalism and genealogy to write historical biographies and articles. Her work has previously won awards from the Colorado Independent Publishers Association, and Women Writing the West. In March 2008, Lohse accepted induction into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame for Eliza Routt, the subject of her book, First Governor, First Lady: John and Eliza Routt of Colorado.
Judges Comments:
A very well written title for the targeted audience.
Quite interesting and informative, complete with archival photographs that add depth to the text.
Explores a subject of local interest that many students would gladly read for their local history/famous Coloradoans projects!
General William Palmer: Railroad Pioneer, ISBN 978-0-86541-092-3, list price $8.95, is available through booksellers or from the publisher www.filterpressbooks.com. Distribution for resale and libraries is through BooksWest and Baker and Taylor.