Joseph Hitchins was born in England in 1838, the son of an art collector; he visited the major European galleries and studied under the great masters, including the famed Dusseldorf School in Germany. After his father’s death, Hitchins went to Canada and lived in Montreal for a time before coming to Colorado. He was Pueblo’s professional resident artist and art teacher from the 1870’s until his death in 1893. Examples of his work are included in the Francis King collection displayed at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center.
Most of the information to create this series came from the following three books: Pueblo, an Illustrated History by Eleanor Fry & Ione Miller. 2001. Heritage Media Corp. Carlsbad, CA Pueblo, a Pictorial History by Joanne West Dodds. 1982. The Donning Company/Publishers. Norfolk, VA They All Came to Pueblo: a Social History by Joanne West Dodds. 1994. The Donning Company/Publishers. Virginia Beach, VA
Supplemented by various internet sources.