Hope Diamond Ouray Colorado

I would have never considered that the Hope Diamond ever resided with a family in Ouray, Colorado. Don't get me wrong, I love Ouray and hope to spend a week there every summer.  But really....the Hope Diamond! We have spent a week there for about the last five summers. It wasn't until summer of 2010 that I finally visited the museum. I was wandering though the house and came to a room where a video was playing, so I sat down to learn more about the family who had owned this home.  This summer I brought my camera along and took pictures.

It had been built by the Walsh family who also began many of the gold/silver mines such as Camp Bird in the area. Some years ago Evelyn Walsh McLean, the daughter of Mr. Walsh wrote a biography, "Father Struck it Rich." The portrait above is of Evelyn and her children. If you get a chance to read her biography it really portrays the era and some of her crazy antics!


The Hope Diamond was a topic of the video as well. While watching it came to the part that told about Evelyn owning the Hope Diamond. Also stating that a replica was located in the room.

I immediately got up and looked at it. The museum curator told me that we had missed it by a week to have met Evelyns grandson and they were taking picture of people wearing the replica...darn! 

I couldn't believe I  hadn't seen the replica as I walked into the room; however, there was a lot to see in the room.

After Evelyns death the Hope was sold to Harry Winston who reset it to its current setting for the Smithsonian.

Sometimes when you visit small towns you really need to stop for a moment and get to know more about them...it's amazing what you discover.