Gold miners in their Long Red Underwear escort Dance Hall Ladies in a recent
Madam Lou Bunch Day Parade. The festivities are
held each summer in honor of Central City, CO's
last madam. Events include a Madams and Miners
Ball, Tours of Rigs and Mines, Beer Garden, Food
and Entertainment, and a popular Brass Bed Race!
Like many Colorado towns in the 1800's, Central City
was settled in an 1859 gold rush. The town soon
became known as the Richest Square Mile on Earth.
Millionaires were made over night!
On the third Saturday in June each year, most
"miners" clad only in their red Union Suits escort "ladies of the evening" down main
street in a popular town parade. One young lady is crowned "Lou Bunch Madam"
of the year.
After the parade it is time for the the "Brass Bed Race." The miners wearing Long Underwear jump on beds with their girls.
One of the miners (the driver) quickly slips on a striped night shirt over his
red Union Suit and pushes beds up and down Main Street for all he is worth.
It is my unqualified opinion that
modern day Colorado has more
Union Suit wearers than any
other state. At least that is my
impression because of the
number of guys who appear in
public in their Union Suits! Plus
it is down right cold in the
Centennial State a great deal of
the year. Yep, I think Colorado
must be Number 1 with so many
of the men there wearing
one-piece long Underwear.
And boys, that includes Montana, Minnesota, Michigan, Vermont, Maine, and
even Tennessee.
It's possible that I am wrong but in addition to the Long John wearing miners above,
Manitou Springs, CO also has Union Suit clad firemen who participate in an annual
coffin race each October. See my blog posting of December 5, 2016:
And, guys like Mike of Lakewood, CO hike around the state in just their Union Suits! See my posting of Mike's Winter Underwear Hike, November 4, 2016:
Apparently, in Colorado, generations of men and boys wear Union Suits. Take Karen of Leadville, CO. She has reported in this blog that not only her husband but her
daddy and older son all wear Union Suits!
I bet her granddaddy and great granddaddy did too!
Further Proof: As a boy my family and I took a trip to Colorado visiting Pikes Peak,
Seven Falls, the Royal Gorge, and the fun western town, "Buckskin Joe's," located
just outside of Canon City Colorado. I have never forgotten the main street gun fight
with a stand off between the sheriff and a sinister bank robber. No blood was shed
when the sheriff out drew the bad guy. Rather, his bullet hit the belt buckle of the
robber causing his britches to plummet to the ground revealing his Long Red
'Underwear. Dropping his gun and abandoning a bag of money as well as his britches
in the middle of main street, the bad guy was run out of town in his Union Suit.
I thought it hilarious!
Yep, Colorado is synonymous with Union Suits!
Added November 19, 2017:
Franklin of Carson City, NV submitted the above photograph of "another grizzled gold
miner with his lady friend sporting boots and red Long Underwear."
Thanks, Franklin! I don't know if this is you in disguise but apparently Nevada
gentlemen wear their Union Suits to special events as well. Regards...Chris
Dalton of Wheat Ridge, CO emails to tell me that he agrees with me that "Colorado must be the union suit capital of the U.S. I wear union suits six or seven months out of year to work and outdoor activities. And, last Christmas we bought the popular one-piece long johns for my 15 year old son and my 14 year old step son. The boys just love them and wear them snow-boarding and as pajamas at night."
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Thanks Chris
ReplyDeleteSo how about it Oynneb (and other "fans") ...is Colorado the Union Suit capital of the U.S. or can you make a case for your state??!!
ReplyDelete