Changes to Forks Creek 1870s to the present

The spot known as Forks Creek has changed many times over the years.

It went through numerous changes during railroad days, but also after the C&S abandoned the route in 1941.

Here are a few of the various looks of the spot when it served as the location of the railroad's diversion to Black Hawk and Central City and the other direction to Idaho Springs and Silver Plume.

The photo below show Forks Creek before the two segments were connected by the later wye track.

Forks Creek also saw changes after the railroad was torn up. Below is a Chris Walker photo of Forks Creek in 1982. You can see that the road from Idaho Springs at left crosses Clear Creek a bit farther downstream similar to the location of the railroad's ornate bridge.

Today's road alignment is different. The road from Idaho Springs now crosses both forks of Clear Creek at the location of the railroad's wye connection. A walking path now runs on the former rail and roadbed. This path does not cross the creek at this location like the railroad and road once did.

Finally, a while back I found a few "Then and Now" images of Forks Creek by someone who nailed the locations to a "T." Unfortunately, I don't recall who took the photos. I must give them credit because they took the risk of taking the shots from the road. So many railroad-era photos are taken from this side, but it is unfortunately difficult to access it on foot.