The Boarding House Home of the Field School and the Bullock Clan

Since 1991 with only one exception the ACU students at Field School have lived in the old Boarding House where single miners used to live in days gone by. Today Larry and Connie Bullock own the house built so long ago by the American Smelting and Refining Company. For almost a century the structure has stood prominently at the center of town as the seasons have come and gone. Little has changed. Larry has carefully restored the old place back to the original condition. If you have a good imagination and close your eyes, you can walk the halls and hear the busy sounds of 1913 miners getting ready to go into the mines....the clanking of dishes and conversations drifting up from the dining room.....the busy kitchen sounds as Mrs. Compton prepares the meals for her boarders. Open your eyes and you will see that little has changed. The miners are gone now but ACU students have replaced them and are busy getting ready to go out into the field where their mission is to save the history of those miners so long ago. These students have not forgotten the important contribution the miners and their families made to the settlement of southern Colorado and the American West. Their stories and their lives are documented in the many preservation projects carried on in the Cokedale region each year. Thanks to the Bullocks our students have a wonderful place to live while they do their important work.

Let me introduce you to the Bullock family and the Cokedale Boarding House.

The Bullock Family at Cokedale

  • The Bullock Family at PrimeroThe Bullock Family gathers for a visit to the 1997 Field School dig site at Primero. Notice the Walking Tour Kiosk built by ACU students, marking the starting point for the Walking Tour of historic Primero, Colorado. (photograph not available yet)

  • Jonathan Bullock Age 9, 3rd Grade in 1998 (photograph not available yet)

  • Abigail Bullock Age 11, 5th Grade in 1998

  • Rachel Bullock Age 13, 8th Grade in 1998 (photograph not available yet)

  • David Bullock Age 15, 9th Grade in 1998 (photograph not available yet)

  • Bethany Bullock Age 17, 11th Grade in 1998 (photograph not available yet)

  • Sarah Bullock Age 18, Freshman at Adams State University in 1998 (photograph not available yet)

  • Monica Bullock Age 22, Senior at Adams State University in 1998 (photograph not available yet)

  • Larry Bullock Larry is the great support mechanism at Field School. He is there when we need him-operating heavy machinery and providing additional tools and encouragement to students every year.

  • Larry and Connie Bullock Father and Mother to the Bullock clan who move out of their rooms to welcome their new ACU friends for three weeks every June. This gracious couple makes it all work at the Boarding House.

  • Connie Bullock Connie supervises the meals for Field School at Cokedale all while balancing a busy family of 9 and a business in Trinidad.

  • Joe Bullock Always a familiar face at Field School, Larry's borther Joe comes up from El Paso to help with the doings every June. ACU students appreciate Joe's willingness to serve, his quiet demeanor, and his wry humor.

    The Boarding House at Cokedale-A Tour

  • The Kitchen Unchanged from the earliest of days, the kitchen sees much action during Field School each year. Connie and the Bullock crew prepare wonderful home-cooked meals for ACU students.

  • Dining Room The dining room where ACU students have their meals during Field School-a welcome place after a long day of work in the field or on the road.

  • Living Room The living room is part of the dining room complex. One long room where miners used to have their meals and enjoy the company of friends during the evenings.

  • Larry's Exhibit Larry displays much of what he has collected at auctions and hunting in the canyons and arroyos around Cokedale.

  • Library The library is located just outside the apartment on the lower level whether graduate students usually reside during Field School.

  • The Apartment Entrance to the graduate student apartment on the lower level.

  • Apartment Interior A spacious room and bath for two or three graduate students or other assigned personnel.

  • Upstairs Entry stairwell to the upstairs living quarters. Most of the rooms are still in their original condition.

  • Typical Room Interior Most Field School students reside on the upper level in hotel rooms originally designed for miners. The doors, windows, and floors are original and most of the furnishings date to the early 20th century.

  • Typical Room Interior Students enjoy using historic furnishing that surround their sleeping quarters.

  • Typical Room Interior Sometimes a mix of the modern and the old occupies the old miners' quarters.

  • Typical Room Interior Sometimes a mix of the modern and the old occupies the old miners' quarters.

  • Student Lounge Interior Students use this space for a day room- a good place to relax and visit after a long day. The room has a refrigerator, sink, and sofas all around. Notice the old wood stove-a good thing to have around on some of those cold June days!

  • Student Lounge Interior Another look.

  • Down the Stairs These stairs lead to two bathrooms located just below. A third bathroom is located on the upper floor.

    For corrections and contributions regarding this World Wide Web page, contact Dr. Vernon L. Williams, ACU Box 28130, Department of History, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas 79699.

    E-mail vwilliams@nicanor.acu.edu
    FAX 915-674-2369
    Telephone 915-674-2150.