In May, 2003, while doing my research on my uncle, Vern Parker, I called Vicky Petley on the telephone. She is the daughter of Bob Petley, the owner of Petley Studios, who published the well-known and loved Vern Parker postcards of horses, cowboys and western scenes during the 50's. When I explained who I was, there was a slight hesitation. Then she said, "It's strange that you should call at this time. I was just going through my father's papers, and came across a large file of news articles, photos and letters about Vern Parker. I didn't know what to do with them." My heart skipped a beat before I said, "Is it possible for me to have them to make copies? I would see that you got them back." "Oh, I don't need them," she said. "You can HAVE them."

When I received the package, there were several articles from newspapers in Colorado, in 1954, vividly describing a commission given by Vern Parker to paint a mural, a large one; four 4' by 8' panels, of the Old Butterfield Stage route from Hugo, Colorado, to Denver. He painted the panels in the Greymont Hotel lobby, visible to interested observers, who could ask questions and Vern explained his methods as he painted. Then, through the years, the mural disappeared. An historical record was published, showing the mural, the caption saying, "the whereabouts of the mural is unknown."

My curious need to know as much as I could about my uncle prompted me to call Hugo, a very small town in eastern Colorado, and the Chamber of Commerce put me in touch with the town historian, Terry Blevins. He promised to investigate the mural. Not too many old-timers were around who would remember the hotel and the mural. After several weeks, he came up with nothing, but said he would keep an eye out. But I heard no more from Terry.

A few months later, out of curiosity, I was checking the list of visitors to the Vern Parker website. I clicked on the 10th or 11th hit, and what should come up but THE VERN PARKER MURAL for sale in an antique shop in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, a community near Estes Park. The mural had been on display at the Stanley Hotel until it was renovated. It was then put on consignment and the asking price was $9,500. The dealer knew nothing about the history of the mural, nor the well-know artist who painted it. Neither did she know that I had been looking for it, that I had no idea where to look. Suddenly it showed up, almost as mysteriously as it had disappeared.