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 Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Skidoo, California
Skidoo, California was one of Death Valley's longest lasting towns, surviving for around ten years. Nothing is left of the town today, but the remains of the Skidoo mill make the site a worthwhile spot to visit while at the park. Continue Reading
Lost Burro Mine – Death Valley
The Lost Burro Mine is located in Inyo County California, within the boundaries of Death Valley National Park. It is recorded in the USGS MRDS database as records 10036121 and 10236489. The mine was discovered in 1907 and was worked intermittently by several owners until the 1970s. The National Park Service has provided a report Continue Reading
The Colorado Gold Rush
The Colorado Gold Rush, originally known as the Pikes Peak Gold Rush, started in 1858 and was the second largest mining excitement in United States history after the great California Gold Rush a decade earlier. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Silverton, Colorado
Silverton, Colorado is one of the West's most important, and most authentic historic mining towns. It is also one of the most isolated, located in the most mountainous county in the United States. Continue Reading
Where to Find Gold in Idaho
WMH Gold Maps for Google Earth Pro are designed to locate areas with high potential for finding placer gold. A core feature of these maps is the highlighting of townships that contain both active placer mining claims and historical gold mines. The screenshot below uses data from the Idaho Gold Map and shows gold-bearing PLSS Continue Reading
A Collection of Arizona Mining Photos
Arizona of the 1800’s was a state defined by harsh desert topography, extreme isolation, fierce native tribes determined to defend their homes from outsiders, and a certain degree of frontier lawlessness. These factors contributed to Arizona getting a later start in the Western mining booms than some of the other states. Arizona remained a territory Continue Reading
Stagecoach Photos From Mining-Era Colorado
The stagecoach has become an iconic symbol of the American West. In remote parts of the western frontier, the stagecoach was the only form of public transportation for years or decades before being replaced with trains or later roads and automobiles. Continue Reading
Winning the Metal: Ore Mills of the West
The ore that came out of western mines usually had to be milled to separate the valuable metals from the waste rock. Mills of many types were built to treat the variety of ores coming out of the mines. "Winning the Metal: Ore Mills of the West" takes a look at some of the more common mill processes and includes numerous photos of the West's great mills. Continue Reading
Arrastras Illustrated in These Historical Photos
The remains of mining-era arrastras are fairly common in the West, but what exactly are they? The short answer is that the arrastra was the most primitive method used to crush ore into a fine enough powder that the precious metals could be separated from the host rock. While many people are familiar with the Continue Reading
