A Unique People

About the Book

At nearly two miles above sea-level stands a building nearly a hundred years old. Because of its appearance - that of a New England country church - it is often called a church. Indeed on Sundays during the summer it is a church, often with standing room only.

However, the building is the Town Hall of the community of Tincup, Colorado. Built by the people of Tincup with Tincup money during the gold and silver mining days it is the jewel of the town and its uniting force.

After the last mine closed in 1918 and the population dwindled the building gradually deteriorated. In 1950 summer residents learned of a plan by Gunnison County officials to convert the Town Hall to a honky-tonk. This led to the formation of the Tincup Civic Association by Ralph Barron and Hugh "Hap" Corrigan II. The Association was dedicated to the preservation of the Town Hall and its control by the people of Tincup.

A long war with the County ensued with three major battles. The Association won the first two battles, 1950 and 1975 but "lost" the third one in 1980. Oddly, it was the "lost" battle that gave the Civic Association a quit claim deed for the Town Hall from the County.

The people who fought these battles were truly "a unique people". The came from widely different backgrounds, they were diverse in their life-styles, and even varied in their ideas of how the Town Hall was to be used. But none of that mattered when it came to defending the building from the County and in its repair, restoration, and maintenance. Some donated money, some donated labor, and some gave material and lent equipment. Some did all of the foregoing. For fifty years the Association has cared for this building that the people of Tincup love. They have never asked for or accepted, one penny from the County, the State, the Federal Government, or a foundation to accomplish this.

Most of these unique people never realized they were being ideological in standing up to the County and in wanting local control over their building. Yet they were standing for liberty and rule of law. They saw the truth that people advance, as does society in general, primarily through voluntary cooperation and freedom of exchange. When the State of Colorado became involved they saw that "one size fits all" laws are coercive to many and tend to crush creativity, voluntary cooperation, and the miracles of the market place. Some of these people were nearly illiterate, some were college educated. While few of them could explain their love for liberty and freedom, they understood the difference between taking care of oneself versus being cared for by others.

The book has an appendix listing little known facts about the Town Hall and a listing of those who served on the Association´s Board of Directors. Also included is a bibliography of other publications about the town of Tincup and its people.

About the Author

Bowling M. Hitt was born and reared in Texas. After two and a half years as a merchant seaman during and immediately after World War II, he attended Howard Payne University where he received a B.S. degree in mathematics. He taught high school for four years and gained a M.A. degree from Sul Ross State. After two years in oil exploration with a seismograph company in Texas, New Mexico, Montana, and Nebraska he joined General Dynamics Corporation as an engineering writer. He retired 31 years later as Manager of Security, safety, and Medical of the company's Pomona, California, Division.