Thomas Jacob Noel, (born 6 May 1945 in Boston, Massachusetts) often introduced in media interviews as Dr. Colorado, is an American historian specializing in the history of the Rocky Mountain West, and especially of the state of Colorado. He is a professor of history at the University of Colorado at Denver, where he teaches classes in the history of the American West, Colorado, Denver, historic preservation, mining and railroads, national parks, and Western art and architecture. He is the co-author or author of more than fifty books, numerous articles, and newspaper columns.[1] He is the director of the Center for Colorado Studies at the Denver Public Library.[2] The center provides many resources for students including Colorado books, book reviews, short-documentaries, as well as Native American, Hispanic, and other resource guides.[3]
Noel won a Colorado Book Award in 1997 among numerous other awards.[4] Noel leads walking, railroading, and motor-coach tours for various groups including The Colorado Historical Society and The Smithsonian.[5] He chaired the Denver Landmark Preservation Commission and served as a National Register reviewer for Colorado.