Edwin Carter came to Colorado in the 1860s ” as did hundreds of others ” drawn by the lure of the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush. His initial visit to Breckenridge focused on his attempts at placer (hydraulic) mining, but he left to try his luck at other active mining areas in Breckenridge.

When he returned to the town in 1868, he found much had changed. The town was developing and the mining, timbering and settling activities were taking a toll on the landscape and the native wildlife. He noticed mutations in wildlife ” to which he attributed the use of arsenic and cyanide in the process to extract gold.

While he remained an avid hunter, his focus became one of preservation in an effort to provide future generations access to the elk, mountain bison, otter, deer, antelope, big horn sheep, ptarmigan, and other birds and animals that populated the region. He studied and became an avid and accomplished taxidermist, and in 1875, he opened his small home at 111 N. Ridge St. to the public. His museum became an attraction not only for Colorado residents, but was a “must see” for visitors from the Eastern United States ” giving them the opportunity to experience western wildlife up close.

His collection would ultimately number in the thousands, including a comprehensive collection of the ptarmigan ” a bird found in the upper reaches of the mountains. He attempted to show how the bird’s plumage changed from snowy white in winter to mottled brown and white in summer by preserving 370 examples.

In 1900, Mr. Carter became ill, possibly from the chemicals used in taxidermy, and went to Galveston, Texas, for a salt-sea air “cure.” Prior to his travels, however, he had begun negotiations with John Campion, a Denver banker, to sell his collection. After his death in Galveston, his body was returned to Breckenridge for an elaborate Masonic service and burial in Valley Brook Cemetery.

His brother finalized the sale of the Carter collection to Campion, and thus the Denver Museum of Nature and Science was born. His home and museum in Breckenridge passed through several owners until the Town of Breckenridge and Summit Historical Society took possession in 1993. Under the guidance of the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance and with funding from the town, the museum closed in February, 2008 and underwent a complete rehabilitation. The dark, heavy window treatments and carpets are gone, replaced by blonde wood floors, painted walls and bright lighting.

His taxidermy specimens were cleaned and restored, and reside once again in their original home. The museum focuses on Mr. Carter’s life and his work, but also on the emergence of conservation.

Interactive exhibits within the museum include a “Create Your Own Museum” exhibit, “The Art of Taxidermy” and two spotting scopes in which one is asked to identify examples of the wildlife native to the area. A separate video room will show a film based on the life of Mr. Carter, as well as other historically-oriented DVD’s, and can be used for small lectures or gatherings.

Be sure to visit the newly rehabilitated Edwin Carter Museum, which recently reopened. The museum will be open Tuesday through Sunday during the summer season from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please visit breckheritage.com or call Larissa Enns at (970) 453-9767. Visit Breck150.com to learn more about Breckenridge’s history and the celebration of the town’s 150th anniversary.