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This iconic scene from Deadwood, South Dakota has been restored by Western Mining History. Depicted is a gold rush scene at the newly settled town of Deadwood, in what was Dakota Territory in 1876.

This iconic scene from Deadwood, South Dakota has been restored by Western Mining History. Depicted is a gold rush scene at the newly settled town of Deadwood, in what was Dakota Territory in 1877.

This iconic scene from Deadwood, South Dakota has been restored and colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted is a gold rush scene at the newly settled town of Deadwood, in what was Dakota Territory in 1877.

This iconic western mining scene shows businesses on Main Street at Deadwood, Dakota Territory in 1877. Businesses in this view are J.B. Tarpy Blacksmithing & Wagon Repairing, and the Northwestern Express, Stage, and Transportation Company “Great Through Passenger & Freight Line to the East and South.”

This iconic western mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. This detailed view of Deadwood, Dakota Territory shows the many businesses on Main Street in 1877.

This iconic western mining scene has been optimized by Western Mining History. This detailed view of Deadwood, Dakota Territory shows the many businesses on Main Street in 1877.

This iconic western mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. In this image, miners are taking a lunch break in the Chance mine in 1909. The Chance is a silver mine located in Shoshone County, Idaho, in a region known as the “Silver Valley”. The Silver Valley is the top silver producing region in the United States, and second in the world.

This iconic western mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted are miners at the top of the Curtis shaft of the Savage Mine in Virginia City, Nevada in 1868.

This iconic western mining scene has been repaired by Western Mining History. Depicted is a street scene at Leadville, Colorado circa 1879.

This iconic scene from Deadwood, South Dakota has been restored by Western Mining History. Depicted is a gold rush scene at the newly settled town of Deadwood, in what was Dakota Territory in 1876.

This iconic ca. 1890s photo shows an elaborate log-cribbed bridge built over a deep gulch on the Ouray Stage Line between the mining towns of Ouray and Silverton in southwest Colorado. This was originally known as the "Otto Mears Toll Road" after the man who built the road - which for years was thought to be impossible.

This colorized version of the iconic ca. 1890s photo shows an elaborate log-cribbed bridge built over a deep gulch on the Ouray Stage Line between the mining towns of Ouray and Silverton in southwest Colorado. This was originally known as the "Otto Mears Toll Road" after the man who built the road - which for years was thought to be impossible.

Depicted is an interior view of the Cosmopolitan Saloon and Gambling Hall at Telluride, Colorado ca. 1910. The wealth of the Telluride district is on display in this very ornate drinking establishment.

Colorized version of this interior view of the Cosmopolitan Saloon and Gambling Hall at Telluride, Colorado ca. 1910.

The image has been identified by different sources as either Wall Street or Lee Street, each of which is perpendicular to Main Street and are important parts of the commercial district at Deadwood, Dakota Territory in 1877. This was the year of the great gold rush to the Black Hills.

Depicted is Main Street at Deadwood, Dakota Territory in 1877. A banner for Adam Bros. Banner Grocery hangs across the road. The Delmonico Hotel and Restaurant can be seen on the left.

Depicted is Main Street at Deadwood, Dakota Territory in 1877. A banner for Adam Bros. Banner Grocery hangs across the road. The Delmonico Hotel and Restaurant can be seen on the left.

This iconic colorized mining scene depicts placer miners at Auburn Ravine, California circa 1852. In a rarely photographed scene, American and Chinese miners work side by side at a sluice.

This iconic mining scene depicts placer miners at Auburn Ravine, California circa 1852. In a rarely photographed scene, American and Chinese miners work side by side at a sluice.

Depicted is the "Cabin of S.J. Roberts" at Cripple Creek, Colorado in 1893. One miner poses with tools while the other two play musical instruments. Note the illustration of a small bird on the stump, which was apparently drawn on the photo by the photographer. The gold rush at Cripple Creek had just started a year before this photo was taken, and was one of the West's most significant historical events.

This iconic western mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted is the "Cabin of S.J. Roberts" at Cripple Creek, Colorado in 1893. One miner poses with tools while the other two play musical instruments. Note the illustration of a small bird on the stump, which was apparently drawn on the photo by the photographer. The gold rush at Cripple Creek had just started a year before this photo was taken, and was one of the West's most significant historical events.

Depicted in this photo are men, likely the mine owners, at the Buena Vista mine at Altman, Colorado circa 1893. Altman was one of the many towns founded in the early 1890s after rich gold discoveries in the Cripple Creek district.

This iconic western mining scene has colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted in this photo are men, likely the mine owners, at the Buena Vista mine at Altman, Colorado circa 1893. Altman was one of the many towns founded in the early 1890s after rich gold discoveries in the Cripple Creek district.

This iconic western mining scene has been restored by Western Mining History. Depicted is a Tombstone, Arizona street scene in 1880.

This iconic 1890 western mining scene has been optimized by Western Mining History. Depicted is the Virginius Mine in southwest Colorado.

This iconic 1890 western mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted is the Virginius Mine in southwest Colorado.

This 1904 photo from Tonopah, Nevada is an extremely rare early image of a lightning strike. The lightning purportedly struck a mans house, melting the wood stove inside, but remarkably nobody in the house was injured.

A Mojave Desert borax team stops for a photo opportunity somewhere in Southern California. Shown are the famous "20 Mule Team", two ore wagons, and a water wagon.

This ca. 1900 image historic image has been colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted is a freight wagon in position to be loaded with ore from an ore bin at the Mount Diablo mine at Candelaria, Nevada.

In this scene, placer miners are working at Gayville, Dakota Territory in 1877.

This iconic mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. Various sources claim that this photo was taken in California, Colorado, and even in Arizona Territory, with years ranging from 1850 to 1900. Although the exact origin of the photo is unknown, it remains one of the most famous images of a western prospector.

This iconic western mining scene has been colorized and enhanced by Western Mining History. 1868 was the year of the “Owyhee War”, when armed gangs fought bloody battles, some underground, for control of one of the district’s richest mines.

This iconic western mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. The 1889 photo is captioned “‘We have it rich’ – washing and panning gold, Rockerville Dakota. Old timers Spriggs, Lamb, and Dillon at work.”

This ca. 1890 photo of a crew of Colorado miners and their dog posing in front of a cabin was taken by renowned photographer William Henry Jackson.

This ca. 1890 photo has been colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted are a crew of Colorado miners and their dog posing in front of a cabin, taken by renowned photographer William Henry Jackson.

This late 1800s photo of a mule navigating a precarious trail in Colorado's San Juan mountain range illustrates the difficult terrain that had to be overcome to open the mining districts of this region.

This iconic western mining scene has been optimized by Western Mining History. Depicted is a crowd in front of the Second Class Saloon in Nome, Alaska July 1, 1901.

This iconic western mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. The 1889 photo is captioned “‘A golden work’ – Hydraulic mining at Rockerville Dakota”. Hydraulic mining required elaborate systems of flumes and pipes to bring water to a mining site – sometimes from tens of miles away.

This iconic western mining scene has been restored by Western Mining History. Depicted is a stagecoach outside the Wells Fargo & Company express office at Virginia City, Nevada in 1866.

Depicted is a traction engine (steam tractor) hauling borax in Southern California ca. 1900. Traction engines began replacing the iconic "Twenty Mule Teams" starting in the mid 1890s. The traction engines were often not as reliable as the mule teams in the punishing Death Valley climate, and they never completely replaced them.

This iconic western mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted is a traction engine (steam tractor) hauling borax in Southern California ca. 1900. Traction engines began replacing the iconic "Twenty Mule Teams" starting in the mid 1890s. The traction engines were often not as reliable as the mule teams in the punishing Death Valley climate, and they never completely replaced them.

Depicted is an illustration of the interior works of the Gould & Curry mine at Virginia City, Nevada 1862. The illustration demonstrates how square set timbering was used to stabilize the massive stopes of the Comstock mines.

This colorized 1910 photo from inside the Bagdad Mine at Ludlow, California is a remarkable view of miners working within a framework of square-set timbering. Note the lone miner standing with a candle on the left side of the photo, and the lower level visible through the timbering.

This late 1800s photo of miners standing in front of an unidentified Nevada mine has been colorized by Western Mining History.

This early 1880s photo shows Boss Caswell posing outside his “Monkey Saloon” in Granite, Colorado, where Denver Beer is just 5 cents a glass. A dog demonstrates his support for this local business.

This 1883 photo from the Copper Queen mine at Bisbee, Arizona shows a crew of miners posing on timbering, with cribbing behind them supporting a massive section of rock.

From a stereoview collection by Carleton E. Watkins, caption reads "Cosmopolitan Hotel, C. Bilicke, Pro., Tombstone, Ariz. #4915". Depicted is the construction of the Cosmopolitan Hotel during Tombstone's 1880 boom.

This iconic western mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted is the mill of the Young America mine ca. 1885. The mill was located in a spectacular setting on the shore of Lower Sardine Lake, in Sierra County, California.

This 1903 view of Bodie, California has been restored by Western Mining History. Depicted is the town of Bodie with the mighty Sierra mountain range in the background.

This 1880 view of Bodie, California has been restored by Western Mining History. Depicted is the town of Bodie at the height of the gold rush that put it on the map as one of the West's most important mining towns.

This iconic mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted is the crew of the Blue Bucket hydraulic mine, located in Siskiyou County, California, ca. 1890s. At the back of the image, a flume is visible for carrying water to the hydraulic monitors.

This iconic western mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted are teams of oxen pulling freight wagons at Rico, Colorado in 1890. Development of the mines at Rico was long-hampered by its remoteness and lack of transportation infrastructure. In 1891, just one year after this photo was taken, the railroad finally arrived at Rico, and the district experienced a new level of prosperity.

This iconic western mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted in this view is the stamp mill of the Moon-Anchor Mining Company, overlooking Cripple Creek ca. 1898.

This iconic western mining scene has been colorized by Western Mining History. Depicted is the Gold King Mine near Cripple Creek. Colorado in 1892. Of the two men standing behind the wheelbarrow, the man on the right is believed to be Bob Womack, the man credited with the initial discovery of gold in the district.