As with all communities, the people are what bring energy, creativity, and character to a place, and early Boulder is no exception. This young frontier town attracted people from all walks of life for the opportunity to make a better life for themselves and their families. A handful of people from the main flood narrative are profiled here in more detail, and each has a fascinating story you can learn from. As you read through these biographies, pay attention to my research comments to see how I solved problems, questioned my sources, and what kind of research still needs to take place. Lawrence Bass This young photographer documented a great deal of the 1894 flood. Lawrence later became Boulder's Chief of Police. Jacob Faus One of Boulder’s blacksmiths, Faus watched his house dramatically float away the morning of the flood. Mary Kinglsey Mary gained her notorious reputation as one of the better-known madams of Boulder’s small red-light district. Marinus Smith A respected Boulder pioneer, farmer, land-owner, and philanthropist, Smith’s mental heath deteriorated during the flood and he spent several years in the state’s mental institution. “Rocky Mountain Joe” Sturtevant Claiming an adventurous past as a scout and “Indian fighter,” Joe was an artist, teller of tall tales, and best known for his photographs of Boulder.