Prosperous Peaks Made the State What It Is
With Colorado towns sporting names such as Silverton, Silverthorne, Silver Creek, and more, it’s no surprise that the state has been and continues to be home to many silver ore mining operations. Alongside silver, gold lured prospectors to the area, although gold required more work to extract due to its deep burial within the mountains and its tendency to bind with other rocks and minerals.
Despite the difficulty involved in gold production, the state saw significant gold production over the years. The mineral-rich mountains of Colorado have also produced molybdenum, zinc, copper, lead, and other metals.
Early Mining History in Colorado
Colorado mining history predates European colonization. For example, Ancestral Puebloans mined turquoise in the King’s Manassa Mine in south-central Colorado more than a thousand years ago. They valued the stone for its striking blue-green color and spiritual significance.
The first reported sighting of gold in Colorado was in 1758 by Antoine-Simon Le Page du Pratz north of the Arkansas River. Reports from the 18th and 19th centuries often mentioned the presence of gold dust, which was a tangible sign of potentially successful gold mining and attracted many early prospectors to the region.
Rumors of gold and modest discoveries were reported from 1807 to 1857, including a sighting by Zebulon Pike in the South Park region.
Colorado’s gold rush began in 1859. One of the first prospectors to make finds and spark a gold rush was George Andrew Jackson, an experienced ‘49er from California’s gold rush, who found gold where Chicago Creek and Clear Creek come together.
John Gregory discovered gold that same year near what became Central City. In 1860, Charles Baker and other prospectors found gold and silver along the Animas River in an area that came to be called Baker’s Park. More about that a little later.
The Gold Rush Era
The Pikes Peak Gold Rush began in 1859, bringing thousands of prospectors to the area in search of Colorado gold. They quickly established Central City and other mining boom towns.
The gold rush led to the discovery of other metals in Colorado, including placer gold in California Gulch. Placer gold mining separates gold from other materials like sand or gravel. The image of gold miners panning for gold in streams is a perfect example of placer gold mining.
The peak of placer mining lasted from 1860 to 1863 and declined through 1875, with health and environmental issues arising from heavy blue-black sands containing lead carbonate and silver.
The Silver Boom and Bust
The discovery of silver in Summit County in 1864 sparked a surge of mining activity, setting the stage for Colorado’s Silver Boom, which began in 1879. This period brought rapid economic growth and a dramatic increase in the state’s population as miners, entrepreneurs, and settlers flocked to the region in search of opportunity.
The boom ended in 1893 with the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, which had supported silver prices. The resulting economic downturn caused widespread unemployment and financial hardship, impacting Colorado’s mining communities.
Mining Districts and Towns
Colorado’s mining districts tell the story of a state built on the pursuit of precious metals, with rugged mountains yielding gold, silver, and other resources that fueled economic growth and innovation. The Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, also known as the Colorado Gold Rush, created some towns that grew into large cities like Denver, while other areas faded into ghost towns.
Cripple Creek Mining District
The Cripple Creek district, located about 20 miles southwest of Colorado Springs in the southern Front Range, is one of the world’s most well-known gold mining areas. Unlike other districts in the region, its ore deposits are linked to an extinct Miocene volcano and include significant amounts of gold-telluride.
The towns of Cripple Creek and Victor are two of the most historic mining towns in the U.S. The Independence Mine, discovered by Winfield Scott Stratton in 1901, was among the district’s wealthiest, eventually selling for $11 million. The district is famous for producing several large mines and creating as many as 30 millionaires.
Central City District
Central City, Colorado’s historic mining town, became famous during the mid-1800s. A mining settlement was formed in 1859 during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush. At that time, the area was known as the “richest square mile on Earth.”
However, mining the gold in this area required hard rock excavation to reach mineral-rich veins embedded in bedrock, and smelting techniques that could have extracted the gold had not been developed during the gold rush era.
Placer prospectors flocked to the town but could not extract the gold, and many left shortly after arriving. Gold mining decreased when the veins were exhausted, and by the 1940s, gold mining had ceased in the area.
Denver
Denver, Colorado’s largest city, began as a gold mining town in 1858, but the gold played out. Coal had also been mined in the area beginning in the 1850s. Denver became a supply hub for mining towns around the region. You can probably guess how the name of their basketball team, the Denver Nuggets, was inspired!
Durango
The San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado, rich in silver and gold, attracted hundreds of prospectors in the 1860s, hoping to strike it rich. In 1880, the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Company established the town of Durango to support nearby mining camps. The rail line remains a popular way for tourists to explore the scenic region.
A year after its founding, Durango grew into a bustling town of 2,400 residents. By the early 1900s, it had become a sought-after vacation destination, drawing visitors with its stunning landscapes and proximity to landmarks like Mesa Verde, which gained national park status in 1906.
Silverton
In 1874, Silverton, just 50 miles from Durango, was settled on a parcel of land called Baker’s Park. Baker discovered silver in the 1860s but didn’t stay in the area. The Civil War was looming, and the Ute Indians, on whose land they had trespassed, didn’t make them welcome.
The 1870s brought the return of prospectors with a vengeance, and the Utes didn’t stand a chance to stop them. By 1883, Silverton had 2,000 residents, 400 buildings, and a red-light district, typical of many Western towns where the law usually turned a blind eye.
Mining continued in Silverton until the early 1990s. Today, people visit for the vast array of outdoor activities that can be enjoyed year-round. It’s also the other terminus of the railway in Durango.
Telluride
Telluride, Colorado, today famous for skiing, was rich in silver, gold, zinc, copper, and lead, with many of these deposits found in the Rocky Mountains. Silver drove the mining boom in the 1880s and famous mines are still known today, such as the Tomboy, Pandora, Smuggler-Union, and Sheridan.
Ouray
Ouray’s rich gold and silver deposits were discovered in the 1870s. Today, the area is rich with ghost towns you can explore. Ouray is a town of fewer than 1,000 people. The mountainous Million Dollar Highway traverses the 25 miles between Ouray and Silverton.
Other notable mining towns include Leadville, Georgetown, and Breckenridge, which were established during the gold and silver booms.
Colorado’s Biggest Gold Nugget and Richest Mine
The biggest gold nugget ever found in Colorado was discovered in 1887 by prospectors Tom Groves and Harry Lytton near Breckenridge. The crystalline gold nugget they dug up weighed 13 pounds, 7 ounces before being washed. It even had a name: Tom’s Baby, for when Lytton swaddled the giant nugget for its ride into town.
The richest mine in Colorado is still producing. The Cripple Creek & Victor Mine, which began as the Cresson Mine, produces hundreds of thousands of ounces of gold each year. It is the richest gold-producing mining operation in the United States and is now a huge open pit mine.
Winfield Scott Stratton was Cripple Creek’s first millionaire when he staked a mining claim on July 4, 1891, dubbed it the “Independence,” and then bought his independence from ever having to work again when he sold the claim in 1899 for 11 million dollars.
Labor and Environmental Issues
The Ludlow Massacre, carried out by anti-striker militia during the Colorado Coalfield War in 1914, resulted in the deaths of 21 miners, women, and children, leading to improved work conditions and labor laws in the United States.
Environmental issues, such as pollution and land degradation, have been a concern in Colorado’s mining industry, with efforts being made to mitigate these impacts.
Modern Mining in Colorado
The Colorado Geological Survey reports that the state is still a significant producer of gold, molybdenum, and silver, with the Cripple Creek and Victor (CC&V) open pit mine being a major producer. Smaller amounts of placer gold are recovered from sand and gravel aggregate operations along rivers and streams, including the South Platte, Arkansas, and Colorado Rivers.
The mining industry in Colorado continues to evolve, focusing on sustainable and responsible mining practices.
Legacy of Mining in Colorado
The mining industry has profoundly impacted Colorado’s economy, contributing to significant technological advances and global expansion. The industry’s growth was driven by the development of metal mining, particularly industrial metal mining and coal production, which profoundly impacted state, national, and international development.
The legacy of mining in Colorado can be seen in the many historic mining towns and districts, which continue to attract tourists and preserve the state’s rich mining history.
While Colorado is famed today for its beauty and diverse recreational opportunities, in the late 1800s, the draw was getting rich quickly by finding gold or silver. Mining is integral to the history of Colorado, as many of the state’s cities were founded as mining towns.
Exploring Mines and Panning for Gold
Colorado has hundreds of ghost towns and closed mines. While most of these closed mines are inaccessible, some enterprising folks offer mine tours and the chance to pan for gold at locations around the state.
Many Colorado state parks allow visitors to pan for gold and note that, while technically anything found in a park belongs to the state, visitors can keep flakes they find. If a nugget is discovered, prospectors are encouraged to report it to the rangers.
You never know. You could make the find that sparks Colorado’s next gold rush and a new page in Colorado mining history!
Take the Prospector’s Path
Today, most tourists visit Colorado to enjoy beautiful views and outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and bird watching, but when you visit, plan to explore some of the state’s historic mining spots. These sites offer a unique window into the lives of the early settlers who shaped Colorado’s mining legacy. You can visit preserved mines, museums, and railroads to see how this industry shaped the Colorado we know today.
