Incredible Colorado Mining Scenes

Colorado is characterized by the most rugged and mountainous terrain of any state in the US, and those mountains were rich in minerals waiting to be discovered by prospectors as far back as 1858.

Development of mines in Colorado was slow at first due to the extremes of terrain and weather, and the remoteness of many of the state’s mountain ranges. However, by the 1880s most areas of the state had been opened, and mining on a large scale had begun.

Hoist operator in the Cook shaft house on Bobtail Hill – Black Hawk, Colorado

Colorado’s spectacular scenery and the richness of the state’s mines attracted many of the top photographers working at the time. The result is that today more amazing photography of Colorado’s historic mining industry is available than of any other state.

These are some of the most incredible mining scenes from the state of Colorado.

Cripple Creek

Gold was not discovered at Cripple Creek until the 1890s, a late date for a major discovery in the West. The mines at Cripple Creek would go on to create the second most wealth of any gold district in the country, with only Deadwood, South Dakota producing more.

Cripple Creek is known as one of the nation’s leading lode mining districts, but like most gold districts the first mines here were placer mines.

Placer mines at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1892

The Gold King Mine was one of the first mines discovered in the Cripple Creek district. Of the two men standing behind the wheelbarrow, the man on the right is believed to be Bob Womack, credited with the initial discovery of gold in the district.

Gold King Mine – Cripple Creek, Colorado 1892

This early Cripple Creek gold mine is operated out of a canvas tent. Canvas tents were commonly the first form of shelter setup at a camp or mine.

Hill Side Mine – Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1893

Like all great mining districts, the early mines were relatively small in scale. In the photo below, a mine crew is shown posing at a mine described as “a big producer”.

Early mining operation in the Cripple Creek district

The men in the photo above probably did not realize just how big the Cripple Creek mines would become. The photo below gives an overview of the Battle Mountain mines, with the town of Goldfield in the background.

Cripple Creek, Colorado mines
Battle Mountain Mines above Goldfield ca. 1900

Many settlements were established in the Cripple Creek district. Victor was a city of some significance, only second to Cripple Creek in importance. The following view shows Victor, with the magnificent Gold Coin Mine right in the heart of downtown.

Victor, Colorado and the Gold Coin Mine ca. 1900

The Ajax mine, located just north of Victor, was one of the district’s top gold producers. In the photo below, miners are posing at the cages of the Ajax shaft ca. 1900.

Miners pose at the shaft of the Ajax Mine – Victor, Colorado

The crew of the Moon Anchor Mine enjoyed a magnificent view of the ever-growing city of Cripple Creek during the 1890s.

Moon Anchor Mine at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1898

Bull Hill, just east of the city of Cripple Creek, was an area with a high concentration of mines. In this scene, two miners shovel ore onto a screen at the Nightingale mine.

Nightingale Mine at Bull Hill (Cripple Creek)

The Rubie mine was just west of Goldfield. The site of the mine is now part of the modern open-pit mine.

Rubie mine near Goldfield, Colorado ca. 1900

At over 10,600 feet, Independence was a significant mining community built among some of the district’s top mines. The scale of industry seen in this photo gives some sense of how rich the Cripple Creek mines were. Today the Independence town site is has been consumed by an active open-pit mine.

Independence, Colorado

This photo from 1907 shows a stope in a Cripple Creek district mine that has partially collapsed. Note the crushed ladders and timbers in the bottom part of the image.

Underground in a Cripple Creek district mine 1907

Anaconda was another Cripple Creek district community built among the mines. Today the Anaconda town site is covered by tailings from an open-pit mining operation.

Anaconda, Colorado

Altman was the site of the district’s highest-elevation settlement, and the location of many of its top mines. The following photo shows early work at the Buena Vista mine, complete with horse whim powering the hoist of a rudimentary log shaft house.

Buena Vista Mine at Altman ca. 1893

This second view of the Buena Vista mine provides a clear view of Pikes Peak in the background–certainly one of the grandest views captured in any historical mining photo.

Buena Vista Mine at Altman ca. 1893

Elkton was the name of one of the district’s top producing mines, and the community that formed near the mine. The town of Elkton, along with nearby settlements, housed miners from many large mines and mills, and had a peak population of over 2,500.

Elkton Mine – Cripple Creek district ca. 1904

The following photo of an unidentified mine is titled as being “500 feet underground in a Cripple Creek mine.”

500 feet underground in a Cripple Creek district mine ca. 1900

Leadville

The silver bonanza at Leadville transformed Colorado into the nations top mining state in the early 1880s. The mines of Leadville were so rich that by 1880 they were producing five times the wealth as Central City, the states leading district until that time.

Leadville, Colorado street scene ca. 1879

California Gulch was one of the area’s earliest important mining locations. The following photo shows early development in the gulch, around 1880.

Mines of California Gulch (Leadville) ca. 1880

Carbonate Hill was one of Leadville’s bonanza ore producing areas. Many fortunes were taken from these rich mines.

Leadville, Colorado mines
North end of Carbonate Hill – Leadville ca. 1880s

Fryer Hill was initially considered worthless ground, but discoveries there turned it into one of the richest hills in the world. H. A. W. Tabor’s great mining fortune started with the discoveries on this hill.

Fryer Hill – Leadville, Colorado 1880s

Leadville was an important smelting center for both the local mines, and for surrounding mining districts. Many smelters operated here over the decades.

American Smelter at Leadville

Leadville was a major mining and smelting center for many decades. The following image from 1918 illustrates the scale of both the city and the mining industry here.

View of Leadville, Colorado 1918

Like many of the West’s great mining centers, Leadville experienced periods of conflict between laborers and mine owners. In September of 1896, strikers advanced on the Emmett mine at Leadville, attacking it with gunfire, dynamite, and even a home-made cannon. The strikers were driven back and lost one of their numbers to gunfire.

The photo below shows a member of the Colorado National Guard watching over the Emmett Mine at Leadville following the attack.

Colorado National Guardsman at the Emmett Mine – Leadville, Colorado 1896

Central City

Gold discoveries at Gregory Gulch were the center of Colorado’s first mining bonanza. Numerous settlements were established here, but “Central” or Central City was the district’s most important city.

This circa 1860 placer mining scene from the Central City area depicts one of Colorado’s earliest important gold mining districts

The following image shows the extensive surface workings during the early years of the district.

1860s mining scene – Central City, Colorado area

Central City was part of what became known as “The Richest Square Mile on Earth”, and was Colorado’s economic center for nearly two decades.

Boiler being transported at Central City, Colorado

The following ca. 1880s view depicts the Gregory Lode and what was previously the community of Mountain City. Mountain City was established in 1859 between Black Hawk and Central City, but was later absorbed by Central City.

Mines at Black Hawk, Colorado
In this view is the Gregory Lode and what was previously the community of Mountain City. Mountain City was established in 1859 between Black Hawk and Central City, but was later absorbed by Central City.

Note the Gregory quartz vein that has been mined over the surface in the image above. The following image shows what that mining operation looked like in 1861.

Gregory Lode (Central District) 1861

In 1869 it was reported that the Gregory lode “…is acknowledged the best worked lode in these mountains, and, under its present management, is understood to be paying well.”

The next photo shows how the surface plants of the Gregory Lode continued to evolve in the 1860s. Note the series of headframes that facilitated deeper mining along the vein.

Mountain City and the Gregory Lode, Colorado ca. 1860s

Colorado was in a depression by the late 1860s as much of the easily-recovered placer gold was played out, and processing the state’s complex ore was proving difficult. Black Hawk became the first smelting center in the state, and the smelters here were instrumental in the transition from placer to lode mining.

Smelters at Black Hawk, Colorado ca. 1870

Professor Nathaniel Hill built Colorado’s first successful smelter at Black Hawk. His smelter is credited with turning around the Colorado mining industry, which was experiencing a very difficult period in the mid 1860s as the complex ore from the mines were difficult to process profitably.

Professor Hills Smelting Works at Black Hawk, Colorado ca. 1868

The Bobtail Lode, high on a mountain above Black Hawk, was one of the districts top mines. A newspaper article in 1869 reported “This mine has produced, since 1861, fully $2,000,000, and has paid a dividend of one per cent, per month on $1,000,000.”

Bobtail Lode – Black Hawk, Colorado ca. 1868

The following photo was taken from Bobtail hill around 1900. On the left side of the view, Central City can be seen, with Black Hawk on the right.

View of Central City and Black Hawk from Bobtail Hill ca. 1900

This view depicts the engine room at the Cook shaft house. Two “Norwalk” air compressors are in the foreground.

Compressors in the Cook shaft house on Bobtail Hill

Nevadaville was another significant town in the Central City district. Built among rich mines, it was a prominent mining town for decades. Today only a handful of historic buildings remain.

Nevadaville, Colorado ca. 1900

The following image demonstrates how ore, and sometimes men, were transported between levels in ore buckets in a Nevadaville mine.

Miners 850 feet deep in the Hubert Mine – Nevadaville, Colorado 1895

There are two photos in this series, in the second one more miners crowd to get into the scene. Note how the trapdoor is mounted with tracks so that ore cars can pass over it when it is closed.

More miners crowd into the scene in the Hubert Mine

San Juan Mountains

The San Juan Mountain range of southwestern Colorado is the state’s most rugged and inaccessible region. Many of the deposits are at high altitude, in settings so difficult that individual mines became year-round camps where hundreds of miners lived.

In this ca. 1870s image, pioneers are making their way to the San Juan Mountains of Colorado

The Sheridan vein, located in 1875 in Marshall Basin, was the first quartz lead discovered near Telluride. Here the mine is seen around 1890.

Sheridan mine at Marshall Basin (near Telluride) ca. 1890

The following image depicts the Tomboy Mine, which was situated at 11,500 feet in elevation in the aptly named Savage Basin. Mines like Tomboy became towns of their own, complete with a school, store, stables, and even a tennis court and bowling alley.

Tomboy, Colorado
This view of Tomboy was taken around 1930

Both the Tomboy and Smuggler mines were located high above the town of Telluride. The following photo depicts the impossible terrain that the Smuggler was built on.

Smuggler Mine and Camp

New silver discoveries at Red Mountain during the early 1880s created one of Colorado’s most productive silver districts. The center of the district was at Red Mountain Town, and the Yankee Girl mine was one of the top producing mines.

This view of the Yankee Girl is typical of the mines in Colorado’s rugged and magnificent San Juan Mountains.

Yankee Girl Mine at Red Mountain ca. 1890

Mines of the San Juan Mountain region were rarely located in gentle terrain. The following view of the American Nettie mine near Ouray reveals that no location was too challenging for the miners of the late 1800s.

American Nettie Mine near Ouray

Situated at over 12,000 feet in elevation, the Virginius Mine is located approximately 2,000 feet above the town of Sneffels. The photo below illustrates the kind of terrain that many of Colorado’s top mines were located in.

Virginius Mine 1890

Sneffels was the milling center for the Virginius Mine ore, and it was the location of the Revenue Tunnel which was built to drain the water from the Virginius Mine. The image below shows the boarding houses where the Revenue Tunnel workers lived.

Revenue Tunnel boarding houses – Sneffels

The Camp Bird Mine, located above Ouray, was one of the state’s richest and longest-operating mines. The mine was a vast operation, by the end of 1900 the mine consisted of 103 mining claims on 941 acres, and had twelve mills in operation. The boarding house seen in the photo below was described in an 1899 newspaper article:

A boarding house capable of accommodating 400 men has been built and equipped with modern conveniences as well as the average hotel – electric light, steam heat, hot and cold water, porcelain bath tubs, commodes, sewer connection, fire apparatus, library, reading room, stationary porcelain basins, and all the other etceteras that contribute to the comforts of a home.

No. 3 tunnel and boarding house at the Camp Bird mine 1910

A mine would be nothing without the skilled men that built them. Miners would often live and work at the remote mines, and it was common to photograph the mine crew in front of surface buildings. The following photo shows the crew of the Golden Fleece Mine near Lake City.

Miners at the Golden Fleece Mine near Lake City, Colorado

The following photo of the “Old Virginius” mine high above Ouray, Colorado illustrates the difficult terrain and remote locations that men lived in worked in while employed at the mines.

“Old Virginius” mine

Many mines of the rugged San Juan Mountains were only accessible by foot or by mule. Pack trains supplied all the necessary equipment and supplies to keep the mines running. Miners usually walked into and out of the mines, often at great distances and through harsh weather.

The following image of the North Star Mine of San Juan County depicts the men and mules that opened the mines in impossible terrain.

North Star Mine ca. 1880s

This unidentified mine from Ouray County, Colorado illustrates the difficulties miners had to overcome to work their mines in extremely rugged terrain. Note the snowshoes leaning against the building.

The photo below, taken before 1900 by William Henry Jackson, is titled “Mining on the Gold Belt” and was likely taken near the town of Ouray. It is hard to imagine the obstacles that independent miners had to overcome to start a mine like this.

Mining on the Gold Belt

The photos above certainly paint a picture of just how rugged the mountain terrain of Colorado’s San Juan mountain range is. Imagine being a miner or prospector in this area in the late 1800s, navigating terrain like what is depicted in the next photo.

A mule stands on a precarious mountain trail in Colorado’s San Juan mountain range

Enormous quantities of equipment and supplies had to be continuously freighted to difficult mountain locations. In the following photo, a pack train trails timbers to the Tomboy mine above Telluride.

Trailing timbers up to Tomboy mine

The Excelsior mine, near Capitol City, was located at over 10,000 feet in elevation. The harsh weather at this spot is revealed by the sparse wind-blown trees visible in the photo below.

Excelsior mine ca. 1880s

Although the San Juan region is known for its lode mines, there were some placer mines in operation. The following image of miners working a placer claim is identified as being in the Telluride area, and is probably down the canyon a ways near the town of Placerville.

Placer miners work in the vicinity of Telluride, Colorado

Yule Marble Quarry

Not all riches taken from Colorado mines were gold and silver. At the aptly named town of Marble, a world-class marble deposit was developed at the Yule Quarry.

Yule Marble Quarry
View of the Yule Marble Quarry ca. 1920

Yule Marble has been used in many famous buildings and monuments in the United States and around the world, including the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Hearst Castle, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and numerous capital buildings, banks, and hotels.

Finishing of Cleveland Column at the Marble finishing mill ca. 1910

The enormous slabs of marble had to be hauled down the mountain to the mill where they were processed. The following image illustrates an early method of transporting the blocks – by steam tractor.

Hauling marble slabs to the mill

The next image shows slabs being loaded onto an electric railway, certainly an improvement over the steam tractor shown above.

Loading marble slabs onto the electric railway for transport to the mill

The Yule Quarry is the site of a world-class marble deposit, but it is also in a very difficult location, high on the side of a mountain. The following image illustrates the elaborate methods used to transport supplies and equipment to the quarry, and to move marble blocks to the railway.

Elaborate works of the Yule Marble Quarry

Colorado Ore Reduction Mills

Just a few years after the discovery of gold in Colorado in 1858, the state found itself in an economic depression. The placer gold was largely mined out, and the ore from the early hard-rock mines was difficult to process with available equipment and technology.

By the late 1860s, new technology and increased investment in ore reduction mills lifted Colorado out of its depression and kicked off an era of mining that would make Colorado the leading mining state for decades to come.

One of the earliest successful mills was the Caribou Mill at Nederland. This mill was built to process the rich silver ores at Caribou, location of Colorado’s first silver rush.

Caribou Mill at Nederland, Colorado ca. 1875

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, many new ore reduction techniques were implemented at Colorado mills in attempts to improve efficiency and profitability. Enormous sums were spent on some mills that did not live up to expectations, and they only operated for a short time. One such mill was the enormous chlorination mill of the Wallstreet Gold Extraction Company, at Wallstreet, Colorado.

Wallstreet Gold Extraction Company Mill 1903

The following image of the Emma Mill near Dunton, Colorado has many interesting details. The building in the foreground in the boarding house for mill workers, complete with chef standing out front. The Emma mill in the background consists of the original mill on the right, with a large expansion on the left.

Emma Mill and boarding house – Dunton, Colorado

Stamp mills were extremely loud and often operated round the clock. Despite the deafening noise, these mills were often located within town limits, often right next to homes or businesses. The following image shows the Black Wonder mill in the town of Sherman towering over a commercial storefront.

Black Wonder mill at Sherman, Colorado

The Gold Prince Mill was an enormous facility located at the town of Animas Forks. The mill foundation is still a prominent feature at Animas Forks ghost town, a popular tourist destination.

Gold Prince Mill ca. 1910

The Revenue Mill at Sneffels was an enormous operation that processed ores from the Virginius and other mines in the area. The Revenue complex employed around 600 men at its peak.

Revenue Mill at Sneffels 1897

By the first decade of the 1900s, the Telluride district had become one of the state’s leading mining centers. The town of Pandora was established as a milling center for the area’s numerous mines.

Smuggler Union mills at Pandora ca. 1910-1920

The following image shows the Pandora Mill and the Sheridan Incline that was used to transport ore thousands of feet down the steep mountainside. In December of 1892 the Telluride Republican reported on an accident on the incline:

There was an accident on the Sheridan incline Wednesday which might have resulted seriously. Three cars loaded with ore broke away just below the tunnel at the middle station, caused by the grip chain on one of the cars being defective and breaking in two. On breaking loose these cars shot down like lightning and did not leave the track until they reached the spot where the old foundry and blacksmith shop were located. Fortunately no one was hurt, although there were a score or more of workingmen on and along the track at the time.

Pandora Mill and Sheridan Incline – Pandora, Colorado

The Gold King Mill at Gladstone processed ores from the Gold King mine, one of the state’s leading gold producers. The following image of the mill and company housing is from around 1900.

Gold King Mill and company housing ca. 1900

Colorado mines were often in spectacular locations, as the mill of the Humphreys Mine at Creede, pictured below, illustrates.

Humphreys Mine near Creede, Colorado

The Old Hundred Mine is famous today for the impossibly positioned boarding house building that still survives today. The photo below shows the mill complex of the Old Hundred as it was around 1910. The settlement at the mill was known as Niegoldstown.

Old Hundred Mine and mill ca. 1910

The Holden Lixiavation Works, an enormous ore reduction mill built at Aspen in 1891, is pictured below. In the early 1890s Aspen was experiencing an enormous silver boom, and had become one of the state’s premier mining centers.

Holden Lixiavation Works – Aspen, Colorado ca. 1891

More Colorado Mining Scenes

Colorado has hundreds of historic mining districts, some that were extremely rich and lasted for decades, and others that never amounted to much. The following images depict some of the best photos taken at various mining centers.

Coal was another commodity that built prominent mining towns in the state of Colorado. Colorado coal mines were uniquely positioned to supply the fuel needed for the state’s enormous mining industry.

Crested Butte coal mine at Anthracite Mesa ca. 1890

Although Crested Butte was initially founded as a gold and silver town, it was the coal mines that would be the town’s economic foundation for many decades. The following image details the Colorado Fuel and Iron Coke Ovens ca. 1910.

Colorado Fuel and Iron coke ovens at Crested Butte ca. 1910

Silver Cliff was founded in the late 1870s as a silver and gold mining town. The following image from the Silver Cliff area show an unusual scene at the Racine Boy Mine. Many miners are loading ore cars from what must have been a rich deposit of ore right at the surface.

Racine Boy Mine near Silver Cliff, Colorado ca. 1880s

Breckenridge was one of the first settlements in the entire state. While most gold placer mines were exhausted within a couple years of discovery, Breckenridge manged to thrive for many decades by successfully adopting hydraulic mining methods, and later dredging.

Hydraulic gold mining operation at Breckenridge, Colorado

Gold dredging got its start in Montana just prior to 1900. By 1910 gold dredging had become big business in many western gold districts. The following image shows the Colorado Reliance dredge near Breckenridge ca. 1910.

Colorado Reliance gold dredge at Breckenridge ca. 1910

The following photo depicts miners, with family members present, working starting a prospect shaft in El Paso County, Colorado (early 1870s).

Miners working a prospect on Cheyenne Mountain (El Paso County) ca. 1870s

Often the best is saved for last, and the following photo certainly fits the bill. This stunning 1893 photo illustrates an underground hoist and operator at the Della S Mine at Aspen. The year this photo was taken marks both the year that Aspen took the crown as largest silver producer in the United States.

Hoist of the Della S Mine at Aspen, Colorado 1893

The following image of the Star Grocery in Eagle River country (in the vicinity of the town of Red Cliff) provides a very unique glimpse of a true frontier merchant operating right in the middle of the wilderness. Undoubtedly this establishment was a welcome point of trade and companionship for the miners and prospectors that were working in the area.

Star Grocery in Eagle River country ca. 1870s-1880s

Although the arrival of the railroad transformed Colorado’s mining districts, they still relied on mule teams to traverse the very difficult mountain trails to many of the mines. In this image, mules loaded with ore concentrates are ready to unload at the Ophir railroad depot.

Transferring ore concentrates from mule team to railroad in Ophir, Colorado 1906

Mine photos were often for the purpose of promoting a mine. In the photo below, the mine owners have added a stuffed eagle to the entrance of the Golden Eagle mine, possibly located in Clear Creek County.

Golden Eagle mine in Colorado

The Whitter mine was located on Griffith Mountain near Georgetown, Colorado. In 1896 it was reported “The Whitter mine has opened up a large vein of mineral, five feet wide, that runs well in gold. From 150 to 180 tons or ore will be shipped to the mill.” The vein must have narrowed significantly with further development though as the mine made little news going forward.

Whitter mine on Griffith Mountain – Gerogetown, Colorado 1890s

The following image depicts a mine well above treeline near Alma, Colorado. Mines like these were accessed only by trail, relying entirely on pack trains for supplies and equipment. Miners hiked in and out, even in the dead of winter, and would stay weeks at a time rarely emerging from the buildings where they lived.

Miners pose at mine near Alma, Colorado ca. 1880s

The Alma Lincoln mine, seen here ca. 1890s, was just west of Idaho Springs. The scene below is now dominated by Interstate 70.

Alma Lincoln mine near Idaho Springs, Colorado

Boulder County

Boulder County isn’t as well known for its mines as other counties in Colorado. While this region did not have the world-class mines found in famous districts like Cripple Creek and Leadville, it did have hundreds of smaller mines that produced consistently for many decades.

Boulder County’s proximity to the state’s largest population centers meant that the mines here generated much interest with the public, and professional photographers captured many scenes from the mines and mining camps here.

Unidentified Boulder County mine ca. 1890s

This ca. 1890s photo is titled “Rocky flips a flapjack at old Fourth of July Mine”. The man holding the pan may look like a typical mountain prospector, but he is actually Joseph Bevier Sturtevant, AKA “Rocky Mountain Joe”, one of Colorado’s most notable frontier photographers. The Fourth of July Mine was located near the mining town of Eldora (Boulder County), at an elevation of over 8,000 feet.

“Rocky flips a flapjack at old Fourth of July Mine” Boulder County ca. 1890s

These miners in Boulder County had no trouble finding daycare for their little ones. Note the wooden sign in the shape of a black bear–this was a crew that took pride in their operation.

Mine crew and family pose at the Black Bear mine in Boulder County

Mines in the early stages of development often sought to raise capital to finance the operation. Sometimes the owners of mines were more interested in mining the pockets of investors than doing any actual mining. Whether the Up To Date mine at Caribou was an honest enterprise is something we will never know, but the USGS notes that the mine was “largely exploratory” and had little production.

Up To Date Mining Co. at Caribou, Colorado ca. 1912

The Belle mine near Salina was a gold mine that had its best years during the first decade of the 1900s. An article from June of 1904 describes a rich strike here:

A ten inch streak of gold ore running $100 to the pound has been opened up in the Belle mine at Salina, Colorado, a discovery which has aroused great interest in that portion of the state.

Belle Mine near Salina, Colorado ca. 1905

The following image shows two miners posing at their prospect in either Boulder County or Clear Creek County ca. 1900. Visible are a horse whim, headframe, ore bucket, and what appears to be a crude oven or forge.

Miners pose at their prospect in Boulder 1900

The Frontier Photography of William Henry Jackson

Many of the photos in this collection were taken by famous frontier photographer William Henry Jackson. In this rare photo, the photographer himself is captured at work near Buena Vista circa 1890s.

The work of a late 1800s photographer

More Photo Collections from Western Mining History

The following collections capture more of the West’s amazing mining history.

A Collection of Arizona Mining Photos

Early photo from the Morenci area shows miners posing in front of a headframe

A Collection of Arizona Mining Photos highlights some of the best historic scenes from various Arizona districts during the peak mining years between the 1870s and the 1920s.

Best Historical Photos: Colorized Mining Scenes

Drumlummon Mine at Marysville, Montana late 1880s

This collection images highlights some of the best colorized photos of historic western mining scenes. Included are mines, miners, historic mining towns, and related scenes: Best Historical Photos: Colorized Mining Scenes

The Comstock Lode: Nevada’s Big Bonanza

C & C Shaft – Virginia City, Nevada 1876

The Comstock Lode was the West’s first great silver mining district. Photos of the towns, mines, and mills are available at The Comstock Lode: Nevada’s Big Bonanza

A Collection of Nevada Mining Photos

Austin, Nevada 1867

The first mines in Nevada were discovered in the 1850s, and by the 1860s new districts were being discovered throughout the state. Nevada would first be known as the “Silver State” but would eventually become the largest gold producing state in the Nation. These are some of the best historical photos from Nevada’s notable mining districts: A Collection of Nevada Mining Photos