Best Historical Photos: Colorized Mining Scenes

This collection contains some of the best colorized photos of historic western mining scenes. Included are mines, miners, historic mining towns, and related scenes.

Cripple Creek “The World’s Greatest Gold Camp”

“So thickly were the hillsides and gulches studded with homes, than one can easily say that the Cripple Creek district is one great city, covering thirty-six square miles.” Cripple Creek – “The World’s Greatest Gold Camp” uses selected text from a 1903 special edition of the Cripple Creek Times, and over 50 images from various sources to illustrate the importance and magnitude of Cripple Creek during the district’s peak years.

A Collection of Oregon Mining Photos

Gold is Oregon’s primary mined commodity, and the gold mining industry thrived in the state for many decades. This is a collection of noteworthy mining photos from the state.

The Gould & Curry Mill of Virginia City

“The extraordinary mill of the Gould & Curry Company was, however, the most conspicuous monument of inexperience and extravagance ever erected in a mining district.”

Saga of the War Eagle Mines

While Silver City and the Owyhee mines entered a new phase by the 1880s, the turbulent events of the 1860s were never forgotten. Aptly named War Eagle Mountain will always be remembered as one of the most contested, and bloodiest, mining locations in the West.

Alderman Joy of Leadville

While looking for articles on Doc Holliday I stumbled on a story of a vicious attack on E. D. Cowen, a popular newspaper editor in Leadville. The perpetrator was a man known as Alderman Joy (Charles C. Joy), and the beating he gave Cowen in September 1882 left the man on the brink of death. This article uses historical newspaper articles to paint a picture of who Alderman Joy was – a violent man that was feared by many for nearly two decades.

A Collection of Nevada Mining Photos

Nevada is the location of “The Great Basin”, a desert region characterized by numerous wide valleys bordered by parallel mountain ranges. The climate is generally very dry, and the high altitude brings a range of temperature and weather extremes. This inhospitable region doesn’t support a lot of life, but it is one of the nation’s