The sun bore down on the mining town of Telluride, Colorado like it did many summer days. In the distance the always scenic mountainscape surrounded the town. On this particular day, three men rode their horses into town dressed in spectacular fashion. Their shirts eye-catchingly flashy. Their hats ten-gallon. Their cowboy boots high heeled. Their faces concealed by bandanas. Well armed and looking sharp, the men rode with confidence and purpose — directly toward the bank.

The date was June 24, 1889 — and the west was wild.

Robert Parker was unknown and only 23 years old. His friend, Matt Warner and brother-in-law Tom McCarty rode into town with him. They arrived at the San Miguel Valley Bank shortly after noon. Matt walked into the bank, walked straight up to the teller, and pointed his gun under the teller’s nose. Robert came in behind and began ransacking the place, collecting all the money he could get his hands on. Tom stayed outside with the horses.

Once satisfied with the money they had collected, the outlaws took the teller outside — gun to his back. His hands in the air, the goal wasn’t to lay low and make a quick escape. The goal seemed to be to cause a scene. The three men began shouting, making sure everyone around understood a bank robbery was in progress. Discretion wasn’t a priority. Hopping on their horses and firing their guns into the air, thy fled toward the picturesque mountains. By the time lawmen began to pursue, they were long gone.

The outlaws made out with over $20,000 and the authorities wouldn’t capture them.

On that summer day in Telluride, Robert Parker had robbed his first bank. On that summer day in Telluride, Robert Parker became legendary outlaw Butch Cassidy.

In the picturesque mountains surrounding Telluride a woman dismounted from her horse. Butch Cassidy and his outlaws had passed through this way long ago. The scenery from their location on the mountains was breathtaking.

She’d found the perfect spot for a photo.

It was nothing like Illinois, where she was from.

She posed on a rock next to the horse — the beautiful mountains in the background. After the photo was taken she had it made into a photo postcard, as was common in the early 20th century. Sometime when she returned to Illinois, she wrote a short note to her friend, Sue Payne. The postcard was sent in response to previous correspondence from Sue. We’re left to guess what Sue had wrote about, but it appears it had something to do with the weather, school, and work. Those same mundane things we still talk to others about in our daily to day lives.

The date was June 19, 1913 — and the west was tamed.

“Dear Friend: It is warm here also. We had some rain Thursday evening but — not enough. Things are very good — here. I am sewing. Don’t see how you can study. Whatever you do don’t overwork. Yours truly, (her signature is not decipherable)”