So far this winter we have had a reprieve from icy sidewalks and snow shoveling — a far cry from what Silverton experienced with the legendary "Big Snow” in March 1884. We are complaining about the percentage (or lack of) snowpack in the mountains and missed ski days, yet in Silverton the residents remember their “storm of the century” that was measured in feet and weeks without replenished supplies. To understand the fight for survival in Silverton, one must look back at that winter 142 years ago, when the snow didn't just fall — it overwhelmed. In 1884, Silverton was a town celebrating its 10th anniversary with the swagger of a victor. It was a boomtown in every sense of the word: a bustling hub of 2,000 souls (including 117 “lewd” women), 400 buildings, 29 saloons and two banks. Just a year earlier, the arrival of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad had promised a new era of prosperity and civility. With the tracks completed, the town finally had a lifeline for ore, supplies, mail and people. When gold was discovered at the Sunnyside Mine, a new mineral rush was on. The residents had wished for growth, industry and connection.