Koschmann prepared in cooperation with the colorado geological survey board and the colorado metal mining fund contributions to economic geology, 1947 pages 1958 1849a century of conservation1949 united states. The museum houses two floors of artifacts, books, exhibits and photographs depict the. The city of cripple creek is a located in teller county, colorado. The headframe and other surface buildings stand on. The colorado gold rush, also known as the pikes peak gold rush, occurred in the late 1850s. Cripple creek, co mines us mining has mines, mining.
Relatively meager placers led to the discovery of rich vein deposits. On october 8th, 1881 about 65 citizens of the village of coal creek decided to petition to become incorporated. Many of those travelling west to california would have had their first experiences in the mines of colorado. Independence mine, cripple creek mining district, winfield. Cripple creek, colorado, books, antiquarian books, old maps, old.
The program sessions and social functions were held at the womack center in the cripple creek parks and recreation center. Cripple creek railroads mining history colorado mining books. Cripple creek, colorado, books, antiquarian books, old maps, old photographs, cabinet cards, stereo views, gold mining, railroad books. Western mining history is your source for over 116,000 mines in the western states. During the late 19th century, gold fever roared through colorado like wildfire, and mining camps and towns were literally born overnight. Often sought after by collectors of cripple creek mining stocks, historical publications, and other historical ephemera. Colorado springs, co, western museum of mining and industry. It also played a key role in the establishment of the state of colorado explorer zebulon pike heard a report of gold in south park, presentday park county, colorado, in 1807 gold discoveries in colorado began around denver. Ten years after the pikes peak gold rush of 1859, silver and gold in the san juan mountains transformed this unique area. Stratton staked the independence claim that was to bring him wealth and preeminence as. Brief history of the cripple creek gold mining district from the first gold discovery to early 1894.
The portland mine colorado cripple creek mining history mining books. The first plat maps were filed by william and henry teller in fremont andarapaho county in november of 1878. In 1891, winfield scott stratton made the first major strike of gold in the cripple creekvictor area. Seeking their fortunes, thousands of men arrived in the. I made friends right away, there was sue kolb, loretta milner, phyllis akin, the mullins girls norma, ruthie, sparky, and a. This company out of woodland park, co provides you with offroad, onroad and ebike options to help you explore more the areas you love in pikes peak. Cripple creek and victor gold mine, colorado springs.
The ajax mine was one of the more productive mines in the cripple creek victor district and one of the last significant underground operations. Cripple creek, bob womack and the greatest gold camp on earth. Mines and mining men of colorado, historical, descriptive. The shenandoahdives mining company was active in the san juan mountains from the 1930s through the 1960s. Cripple creek, colorado, rare books, western americana. Colorados last great mining bonanza was underway, and cripple creek would go on to lead the world in gold production. The portland mine colorado cripple creek mining history. This is the fascinating story of the great cripple creek gold mines. Imagine moving from chicago to such a small town such as cripple creek, colorado. Colorado mining history is a chronology of precious metal mining e. What a great author and account of history in one of our colorado towns. The rest of the work is a detailed record of the more than 400 cripple creek mining companies incorporated prior to 1900. Geology of the cripple creek goldtelluride deposit, colorado. Indexes of mining accidents occurring in colorado from 1884 to 1981.
Mining history of cripple creek, colorado named by a complete accident, the town of cripple creek was named by a rancher with a clumsy assistant. A former gold mining camp, cripple creek is located 44 miles southwest of colorado springs near the base of pikes peak. Not only might a visitor find a taste of gold fever in this historic district, but may also experience their hair rising on the back of their necks as they bump into one of the many ghosts that reportedly roam the area. Descriptions and locations of field trip stops eric p. Short line to cripple creek, colorado rail annual no. Cripple creek and victor are two of the most important and historic mining towns in america. Many photos in this book were those of the authors and not found anywhere else. See more ideas about cripple creek colorado, colorado and history. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the gold mining history of colorado.
Bob womack and his brother william emigrated from kentucky with their parents and sister to colorado city now colorado springs, a thriving town east of pikes peak. Facts concerning the significant mining men, mining operations, promoters, businesses and towns of the. See more ideas about winfield scott, colorado and cripple creek colorado. Now long out of print we have acquired a few very good copies of this long out of print piece of cripple creek history. Apply to research scientist, operations associate, general foreman and more. Ajax mine, cripple creek mining district, teller co. Smith, colorados foremost historian, particularly in the mining history of the state, produces two great gems. A book about the history of the cripple creek gold mining districts labor wars in colorado. Ghosts of cripple creek, colorado legends of america. Sep 16, 2017 explore lajeangreesons board independence mine, cripple creek mining district, winfield scott stratton. From the miners cough to ladies of the tenderloin, to the great fires of cripple creek, this is a wonderful book filled with memories from her childhood growing up in cripple creek during the gold rush.
Less than 20 miles away from cripple creek, cruise scenic destinations in the open air with great outdoors adventures. Coal creek was first settled in the early 1870s just after coal was discovered. He provides detailed specifics to location and quantities of minerals recovered. A novel, the sinclair sisters of cripple creek book 1. James harlan moved to the cripple creek gold mining district not long after it had been founded in april 1891. Men of note affiliated with mining in the cripple creek mining district. It is said that the two were building a shelter near the creek when the assistant accidentally discharged his weapon. Cripple creek is a former gold mining camp located 44 miles 71 km southwest of colorado springs near the base of pikes peak. Legends of lost mines, train robbery gold, caves of. Hollister presents an expansive history and summary of the area and those who came to mine it. From 1890 to 1910, more than 22,400,000 ounces of gold were extracted from 500 mines in the cripple creek mining district, which included cripple creek and the neighboring town of victor. Colorado mining stories is a collection of tales depicting the hazards, heroics and humor of hardrock mining in colorado. Names of mines, mining companies, mining districts, lodes, veins, claims, and tunnels are indexed with page number.
Rare mining books, cripple creek mines, rare geology books, geoscience. The city of cripple creek and maid of orleans mine. Gold was discovered in 1890 by ranch handturnedprospector, bob womack. Willow creek mining company is a corporation claimant based in denver, colorado for 1 closed claim. Cripple creek, co mines, mine companies, mine owners and mine information. As one of the largest mining operations in the region during the twentieth century, the companys history exemplifies the boom and bust cycles and. He opened his first photographic studio in the town of barry, a settlement in squaw gulch, surrounded by gold, raven and beacon hills, among some of the earliest producing mines. Excellent detail on mining in the colorado territory, which specifics on mines and mining companies in gilpin, clear creek, boulder, park, lake, and summit counties.
The town became part of the cripple creek mining district, stretching for several miles east and south of cripple creek, including the smaller towns of victor and goldfield. Feb 25, 2020 cripple creeks gold rush was late in colorado historystarting in the early 1890s. To show more of the mining history and its heritage structures, these additional photos have. History is our life we live and work in a century of gold mining our homes and. Abandoned buildings in old mining town cripple creek, co check out tripadvisor members 1,596 candid photos and videos of cripple creek. The mha tours in 2003 covered many of the highlights of its mining history photo gallery 1. The richest gold mine in colorado history, it is the only remaining significant producer of gold in the state, and produced 322,000 troy. Adventure to historic city of cripple creek, colorado. Teller county, colorado mines western mining history. A, rickard, state geologist of colorado and provides a history of cripple creek, its development and future potential. Cripple creek, colorado mining claims and mines the. The most intensive period of development of the mine. Colorado mining history colorado foundation for agriculture. Cripple creek mining district, the great gold camp of colorado relief shown pictorially.
The cripple creek and victor mining district is so extensive that it is difficult to see it all in a single day. Battle mountain mines, cripple creek the library of congress. If you are visiting historic cripple creek, colorado for the first time or you are one of those who fell in love with the blue skies, mountain air and local heritage. The colorado guide to mountain ghost towns, mining camps, boomtowns, and historic sites.
The city of cripple creek is a statutory city that is the county seat of teller county colorado united states. Willow creek mining company of denver, colorado 1 mining. Hundreds of mines in the district supplied a total of over 22 million ounces of gold in 25 years. For many years the cripple creek mining district was a series of underground mines. Usmining provides information on mines, operators, and minerals mined in cripple creek, co. One of colorados great historians leland feitz published this quick history on the railroads originally in 1968 and was reprinted several times. A, rickard, state geologist of colorado and provides a history of cripple creek. Colorado history cripple creek mining district, by. Robert womack, a cowboy who prospected occasionally, discovered a promising vein of gold in january 1891. Cripple creek mining boomcripple creek mining boom began in the early 1890s southwest of pikes peak in colorado, on a former cattle ranch. Other mining camps started in the 1860 with pikes peak or bust or shortly after as prospectors spread out along the mineral belt. The cripple creek mining district lies on the southwestern flank of 14,115 foot high pikes peak. Mines, mining and miners denver public library history. On the front is the great american bald eagle trimmed in 24k gold including the rim, the eagles talonsare clinging to gold twigs.
Jensen field trip stops geological society of america. The cripple creek historic district received national historic landmark status in. While cripple creek, colorado is not a ghost town, it was one of the most important mining camps in colorado. Colorado mining camps, ghost towns, boomtowns, mines. This coin is from the historic colorado mining series, featuring the the first gold rush 1858 series. Abandoned buildings in old mining town cripple creek, co. At the turn of the century, colorados cripple creek district captured. Also, history of the first gold rush to the territory, mining and milling processes, development and conditions of the mines. This work is considered as the best publication on cripple creek. Includes first and last name, county, name of mine, date of accident, and type of accident. Gold mining in colorado, a state of the united states, has been an industry since 1858. In the high country beyond pikes peak is the cripple creek mining district, dotted with historic mine shafts, headframes, and tumbling down miners cabins. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal companyand won by gerald m. Around every corner and on every street you can explore the remnants of the 1890s gold rush that made cripple creek famous.
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