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There are more towns that need to be added to the database, and this list will be updated periodically as updates are made. Local lore claims Evalyn Walsh, mining heiress and owner of the Hope Diamond, penned her autobiography in this town. Ouray was settled in 1876 and competed with Silverton as the main supply hub for the rich Red Mountain district. Nearly 1,000 people resided in this scenic mining camp during its height. Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour The town of Montezuma was incorporated in 1881, and the first local newspaper was published in 1882. mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}. (Learn more abouthistoric trains in Colorado.). Carson, Colorado - Atop the Continental Divide - Legends of America He later bought two coal mines and . for story ideas, news releases, image gallery, and other resources. By the late 1890s it had evolved into the districts most important milling center. Chattanooga was small mining town in the Red Mountain district of the San Juan Mountains. By the end of the 1860s most of the gold was played out, and many citizens of Montgomery moved on to nearby mining camps. Since many have not seen this side of history, we created a scenic mining route of sorts that passes through old mining towns in Colorado and includes stops at old-time businesses and mines! The town sits in one of the most scenic spots in Colorado, and was a popular tourist destination even in the 1800s. Soon other towns rose to prominence, including nearby Silverton. Even after Denver surpassed it in population, Central City remained Colorados economic center into the 1870s. The Sunnyside was one of Colorados richest mines, and it was in production for nearly five decades, which brought stability to the town of Eureka much longer than some of the nearby mining camps. {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; Ames was the site of the worlds first industrial alternating current power plant. Colorado Ghost Towns | Colorado.com 2023 Colorado Tourism Office. - Victor Lowell Thomas Museum, Victor A harsh winter drove residents away, but miners returned in droves the following spring, ballooning to an estimated population of 4,000. The town still has around 100 residents. Also included here are Colorado Forts. Sneffels fame was somewhat diluted by the enormous success of the nearby Camp Bird mine, but it was nonetheless a prominent mining center for decades. There are several which continue to display remains or reconstructions. Silver Cliff remains an active town with over 600 residents. Walk these eerily quiet main streets and imagine the former hustle and bustle of these towns in their heyday during Colorados mining boom frenzy in the late 1800s. Mineral Point was located in the heart of the San Juan Mountains at over 11,700 feet. Chattanooga is destined to advance as its surrounding mining territory is developed.. We kick off our list of abandoned places in Colorado with the remnants of a century-old mining town. For more information, visit, http://www.colorado.com/articles/colorado-ghost-towns. Colorados Top 10 Train Rides. - Capital Prize Gold Mine Tours, Georgetown Take A Scenic Road Trip To Old Mining Towns In Colorado Boggsville. font-size:12.0pt; The silver bust of 1893 brought an end to the boom at Montezuma. Ironton never fully recovered from the silver crash of 1893, although it remained a sleepy town for many years. A Tour of Colorado Mining Towns - Western Mining History Crystal was established during a small boom in 1880 when word got out that silver, zinc, and copper had been located in the Elk Mountains by the Crystal River. Strike it rich with history and outdoor adventure in Colorado's historic mining towns of Breckenridge, Leadville, and Aspen. 1. Photo by Kathy Alexander. Follow Colorado onTwitter,Facebook,Instagram,Pinterest, Google+, Foursquare,Flickr, TumblrandYouTube. You will receive an email to confirm your address. Leadville is a place with a proud history, and this week, the town nabbed a title as one of USA Today's Best Historic Small Towns. Just three Colorado "ghost towns" still have active mining activities Victor, Lake City, and Gold Hill. The town became an important supply and transportation center for the remote region. Today it is a popular tourist destination with many historic buildings. . Visitors can access Dearfield by driving along CO 34 east from Greeley for about 25 miles and will be directed via a marked sign. Ouray was established in the late 1870s as a major supply and transportation center for the nearby mines. Although it did have a post office, it was always a minor town and district, not quite living up to its name. Northeast of the Gunnison/Crested Butte area is one of the largest collections of remaining buildings of any ghost town in the state. Former mining town in Colorado named one of the Best Historic Small Nestled along the hairpin turns of the stunning Independence Pass that connects Aspen and Leadville, Independence was formed after gold was discovered at the head of Roaring Fork River in the early 1880s. Of note is how these cities survived after the rush, avoiding the fate of so many towns that disappeared once the boom passed. At over 11,000 feet, Animas Forks in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado is one of the highest mining camps in the West. - Phoenix Gold Mine, Idaho Springs Ghost towns are often located in remote, high-elevation areas, and the terrain can be rough and uneven. The bonanza that followed is the stuff of legends, and the new city of Leadville became one of the nation's richest mining cities. Placer mines at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. Colorado is home to approximately 1,500-recorded historic old west town sites or ghost towns* with storied pasts of mining riches, rowdy saloons and outlaw showdowns that bolstered and built the West. Central City-Black Hawk Historic District | Articles | Colorado The Aspen Historical Society offers tours of the boom and bust town that miners abandoned on wooden skis made from the log cabins in 1899. The early history of Nevadaville is much the same as Black Hawk and Central City. 13 Abandoned Ghost Towns in Colorado and How to Get There Cripple Creek. Today Nevadaville has a few remaining buildings surrounded by mine ruins, and just six full time residents. Today Eureka is ghost town, but it is a popular RV camping area and staging site for ATV enthusiasts. Nestled along the hairpin turns of the stunning Independence Pass that connects Aspen and Leadville, Independence was formed after gold was discovered at the head of Roaring Fork River in the early 1880s. Small placers were sometimes worked but the district never took off until 1891 when the Happy Valley placer mine was located. A railroad depot built in 1877 now houses a museum, and there's also a chapel, tavern, quilt museum and dance hall to tell the stories of this Sangre de Cristo mountain hideaway. The ghost town of Dunton became part of a large cattle ranch which was likely the main reason that the buildings in town were spared from vandalism and salvage over the years. Gillette was a supply and transportation center for the Cripple Creek District. Other high mountain camps worthy of mention are Aspen and Crested Butte, both important mining centers that eventually transitioned to ski resorts and popular tourist areas. Updated: May 19, 2023 Colorado's mining boom put the state on the map as one of the most lucrative places to be in the late 1800s. The area now consists over over 200 rural properties that are primarily seasonal mountain cabins. Veins of gold still course through the walls and, at the end of every tour, visitors are given their own gold nugget. Nevadaville and Black Hawk were also important towns in the Central City district. Development of the nearby mines was slow until Eastern investors bought the Emma Mine in 1897, and proceeded with rapid development of the mine. Father Dyer founded the town in 1881 when he built his remote cabin on the along Indiana Creek. Telluride was the hub of one of Colorados premier mining regions. Dyersville, Colorado Ghost Town - near Breckenridge | Summit County Winfield, Colorado Ghost Town - near Buena Vista | Chaffee County A few, however, never really died, as they turned their focus to other economic ventures, were located on major roads, and took advantage of tourist opportunities. St. Elmo and Tin Cup. Sunset had a post office from 1883 to 1921. Querida was founded by Edmund C. Bassick , discoverer of the rich Bassick silver mine. Ironton was a major transportation junction and mining camp between Red Mountain Town and Ouray. mills and old mining camps. It flourished as a center of trade, agriculture, education and culture, and was a crucial stage stop along the Santa Fe Trail. This new gold discovery kicked off a new excitement and the town of Eldora was established. Although prospectors entered the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado as early as 1861, the isolation and ruggedness of the area, combined with the ever-present danger of conflicts with the Ute tribes, resulted in the region being developed very slowly at first. This is one of the Wests most historically significant mining towns. Denver Museum of Nature & Science The site is littered with old machinery, mining equipment and structures . Get stop-by-stop directions for a driving tour of the Ghost Towns of Colorado from National Geographic's Ultimate Road Trips. Hundreds of miners lived at the camp which was the social center of the districts high elevation mines. Please click the link in that email to complete your subscription. Ultimate Guide to Mountain Towns in Colorado | Insider Families It is also one of the most unusual settlements in the West. It was also a minor mining town with several gold mines nearby. Colorado Ghost Towns + Map | Abandoned Towns and Mining Camps A newspaper article from 1904 described the town: This little hamlet is beautifully situated about seven miles from Silverton, up Mineral Creek. A post office was established in 1875. An old vanadium and uranium mining town. What remains of the town can be found about two miles from the pass summit. Peek into the Past: Authentic Old West Towns of Colorado Hidee Gold Mine Tour - Hard Tack Mine, Lake City Of those that continue to survive, in any manner, they offer interesting peeks into history, a view of the Wild West, tales of legendary people, and more. Settled in 1870, Caribou was the states first great silver camp. Much later, in 1891, gold was discovered in the mountains west of Colorado Springs. St. Elmo is considered one of the best preserved of Colorado's ghost towns. Gilman is an abandoned mining town in southeastern Eagle County, Colorado, United States.The U.S. Post Office at Minturn (ZIP Code 81645) now serves Gilman postal addresses.. By the peak of the Colorado Silver Boom, the town reportedly had a population of around 10,000 people. Las Animas County is the location of Colorados great coal fields. Today Placerville has a few historic buildings and is a popular housing area for nearby Telluride. La Plata, or La Plata City, had a brief period of prosperity in the 1880s, after which it seems the town held on for at least several decades but a complete history of the settlement is difficult to piece together. A Pioneer Road Trip Through Southwest Colorado in 1878 The first towns were settled early in 1859 following the Colorado Gold Rush (or Pikes Peak Gold Rush) that started in the summer of 1858. The town went on to be a major transportation center and mining hub for the mines of Clear Creek County. Cripple Creek was settled after gold discoveries in 1890. Today Russell Gulch is still home to a handful of people and some historic buildings remain. By the 1950s just a few people still called Ophir home and by 1970 there was just a single remaining resident. Unlike other mining towns in the area, Guston had no planned layout or official business district. By the mid-1870s prospectors had entered every corner of the state and new districts and towns were established in numerous locations. All proceeds from the tours are donated to the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum. The communities during this period moved frequently as the placers were worked out and new mines were opened. The great riches that flowed from Leadville mines would establish the city as Colorados most important mining center for many years. a former mining town where you can take a ride on the Cripple . This mining metropolis was visited by many of the worlds most important people, including President Grant, Grand Duke Alexis of Russia, and numerous important government figures and celebrities from around the world. Below is a sampling of some of Colorados best-preserved and most accessible ghost towns for modern-day visitors to take a step back in time and a peek at the Old West. Christian Murdock Nominate it here! mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; Walk these eerily quiet main streets and imagine the former hustle and bustle of these towns in their heyday during Colorados mining boom frenzy in the late 1800s. Howardsville, established in 1874, was the first seat of government in the area. - Old Hundred Gold Mine, Silverton - Bachelor Syracuse Mine, Ouray Pitkin. Colorado has more than 600 ghost towns, most of which were mining towns, which are the most popular among visitors. The camp founded at these diggings would become known as Breckenridge, and over 160 years later the town of Breckenridge thrives. Byways & Historic Trails Great Drives in America, Soldiers and Officers in American History, John C. McCoy Founder of Westport, Missouri. Visitors are advised to reach Animas Forks, in the summer via a four-wheel drive vehicle or rent an ATV in nearby Lake City or Silverton. In the spirit of healing and education, we acknowledge the 48 contemporary tribes with historic ties to the state of Colorado. East of Greeley in northeast Colorado, the only all-black settlement was home to more than 700 African Americans in the early 1900s. Silver Plume was built among some of the Clear Creek silver districts largest mines. Ghost Towns of the Rockies Private Tour There's no better way to explore some of Colorado's Old West Gold Rush towns than on this private tour through the Rockies. In 1886 Silver Cliff took the county seat from Rosita after a bitter political struggle. As the mines and smelters of Colorado grew into a major industry, Trinidad prospered and became a wealthy commercial center full of stunning Victorian homes and buildings. Highland Mary was a thriving mining camp that had a post office for five years starting in 1878. Growth was slow at first but by 1897 the town had a post office and an estimated population of around 1,000. Initial discoveries were made in 1858, but the onset of winter forced the prospectors out of the mountains, and many of them formed camps and waited until spring to resume the search for gold. Each now has its own character, legends and bragging rights, making them perfect destinations for a historic good time. By the 1880 census, the town had a population of 1,495. The historic Argo Gold Mine in Idaho Springs, Rocks with traces of gold found on the Hidee Mine tour in Central City, CO. A tour of the mine also involves interactive demonstrations portraying various aspects of miners lives. The state's breathtaking scenic landscape boasts natural hot springs, the headwaters of seven major rivers, many peaceful lakes and reservoirs, 11 national parks and monuments, and 58 mountain peaks that top 14,000 feet. A dynamic version of this map can be viewed on our Mining Towns page. south to Durango, CO, and continuing to Farmington, NM. Jasper had a few different periods of activity, but the post office closed for a final time in 1927. By 1911 the town lay abandoned. You can even rent Uptop's cabins for hunting trips or to explore this historic and scenic area. The town was reincorporated in July 1882 as Tincup. Today Silverton remains as one of the most historic and authentic mining towns in the United States. The city pulls in lots of tourists who enjoy driving jeeps and four wheelers on the old mining roads, fishing, and shopping in the general store. Gold ore was discovered in 1865, and sometime between 1876 and 1881 the settlement of Jamestown was founded. Guston was established among the rich mines of the area in 1883. The rich deposits here played out in a few years, and by 1866 the town was abandoned. Watch your step! Today Crystal is a very remote ghost town that is popular with back country enthusiasts. Wall Street was the site of one of the states first chlorination mills for the treatment of gold ores. It would soon be one of the Wests greatest mining cities, and the Cripple Creek district would produce enough gold to become the second most valuable gold district in the U.S. By 1909, Cokedale had a population of 1,500. The mines produced intermittently and kept Irwin alive for many years, but the post office closed in 1900 and by the 1920s the town was deserted. Visitors are advised to reach Animas Forks, in the summer via a four-wheel drive vehicle or rent an ATV in nearby Lake City or Silverton. Colorado Mining Photos. A community formed at Eureka in the early 1870s, primarily as a result of the discovery and development of the Sunnyside mine. Please note: Use caution. Alma was the smelting center for the Mosquito mining district, one of the most prominent districts in the South Park area of Colorado. An optional mine tour offered to riders of the Georgetown Loop Railroad that runs between Georgetown and Silver Plume, this mine takes you 500 feet below in a tunnel bored in the 1870s to see veins of silver and other mining treasures. The beginnings of the town were first constructed in 1878, and St. Elmos economy relied on both freighting and mining. Saints John was mostly a company town built around the Saints John mine by Boston capitalists. By 1887 the town was laid out and a post office was established. Established as a mining camp in the 1870s, Pitkin was a substantial town that grew to 1,000 residents and 200 structures, including 12 saloons and eight restaurants by 1880.