Duane Smith, a nationally acclaimed author, former Fort Lewis College history professor and longtime Durango resident, died on Tuesday, Nov. 26, in Durango. He was 87.
Smith’s passion for Colorado history and his engaging teaching style earned him nicknames like “Colorado’s Clio,” “Homer of the Hills” and “Sage of the Silvery San Juans.”
“He had a national reputation for being both scholarly and readable,” said Tom Noel, a former colleague and co-author.
Noel and Smith cowrote the history textbook, “Colorado: The Highest State.”
Noel, a renowned historian specializing in the Rocky Mountain West, said Smith had a gift for transforming seemingly mundane topics into fascinating stories through his creativity and unmatched work ethic.
“He was an incredible writer. I’ve written 60 books, and I still couldn’t keep up with him,” Noel said, laughing as he recalled Smith’s habit of calling him at 7 a.m. to check if he was working.
Smith was also a dedicated jogger, often running in the early mornings before starting his writing.
The two met while studying history at the University of Colorado Boulder, where Smith also met his wife, Gay Woodruff Smith, who died in 2017.
Noel later became a longtime history professor at CU Boulder, retiring in 2020. Noel and Smith often stayed at each other’s homes during visits.
Noel and Smith also guided tours at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, detailing Colorado’s history. The two professors did it every summer for 25 years until recently.
Smith also led tours at the Animas Museum, sharing his passion for history with children. He was easily recognized by his signature style: jeans, Western boots and either a white, flattened cowboy hat or a Chicago Cubs baseball cap.
He was an avid baseball fan, especially of the Chicago Cubs. Smith was born in San Diego, California, but grew up in the Chicago area, Noel said. His love for baseball led him to pioneer the “Baseball and the American Dream” history class at FLC, which was a favorite among students.
He would often dress up in regalia based on the time period he was teaching about, Noel said. In the “Baseball and the American Dream” class, he would often bring historic baseball uniforms and equipment to class. According to former colleague John Kessell, he would sometimes take them out to the fields at FLC to play baseball.
Kessell and Smith initially met during a Western History Association conference in 1960.
“He was Mr. Durango during the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s,” Kessell said. “He worked at Fort Lewis College for over 50 years.”
Kessell is a history professor at the University of New Mexico.
Smith wore many other hats in Durango. He served as chairman of the Durango Parks and Forestry Board and an emeritus board member for the La Plata County Historical Society. He was also one of the first directors of the Center of Southwest Studies.
“Duane was an extraordinary historian,” said FLC professor of history and environmental studies Andrew Gulliford. “He helped put Durango on the map.”
Gulliford worked with Smith for about 20 years. He said Smith was a staff member when FLC became a four-year institution in 1964.
The Smith Sports Complex near FLC was named after him because of his love for Skyhawk athletics. He was named Durango Area Chamber and Resort Association’s citizen of the year for 1995.
“I’ve been lucky in a sense,” Smith said at the time. “I’ve been able to live in a town I want to live in and work at a school ... I think is the best in the state.”
Gulliford pointed toward Smith’s generosity as one of his notable traits when at FLC. He said the way he interacted with students and donors was uncanny. When he retired from FLC in 2014, students and faculty filled the Community Concert Hall at FLC to listen to him speak.
“He’s one of our staple historian authors in our store,” said Maria’s Bookshop book buyer Jeanne Costello.
She said “Rocky Mountain Boomtown: A History of Durango, Colorado” is still among his best selling books at the store.
Maria’s currently stocks 12 of Smith’s books but has carried as many as 30 since the store’s opening in 1984.
“I really appreciated his work,” Costello said.
The Durango Herald was unable to reach family members on Tuesday.
Noel said his favorite piece of Smith’s work was called “The Trail of Gold and Silver: Mining in Colorado, 1859-2009,” published in 2009.
The book covers the beginning of the gold and silver mining rush and how gold and silver mining established the basis for Colorado’s economy.
“Anything to do with mining, he was your guy,” Noel said.
Smith excelled at simplifying complex historical events, making them accessible and engaging for general audiences.
Beyond his many achievements, Smith played a key role in incorporating Colorado history into the curricula of universities and colleges across the state, Noel said.
“The Strater Hotel needs to dedicate a room to him,” said Kessell, pointing out Smith’s impact on the community.
tbrown@durangoherald.com
