Colorado Mining History in Images

William Green Russell 1818-1887. Carte De Visite or card of the visit. This rare photograph was captured by Reed & McKenney photographers in Central City, Colorado Territory, produced between 1862-1870.

William Green Russell Brothers Carte De Visite Central City Colorado Reed & McKenney Photographer

 

Kaneache Ute war chief  W.G. Chamberlain photographer. Image title Washington Ute. A Ute war chief and was shot by chief Ouray when Kaneache wanted to attack the miners. Kaneache later died from being struck by lighting

 

John Charles Fremont (1813-1890)
Explorer Know as the Pathfinder

 

Ferdinand V. Hayden Expedition at camp
La Veta Pass, Colorado July 22 1877

 

W. F. Cody AKA Buffalo Bill photograph by Brisbois

"Soon the dark clouds of the future will descend upon the present, and behind them will disappear the Wild West with all its glories, forever made mere memories; and as it fades behind nature's impenetrable curtain will be hallowed by a timely and dignified-FINIS"   -1902 Wild West Program., W.F. Cody

 

Carbonate Bill    William H. Jackson

 

Mountain Milkman     W.H. Jackson


 

Eagle River Frank    Alexander Martin #254

 

Photograph by Elliott's Art Gallery Alpine Street Georgetown, Colorado.

D.B. Chase Photograph CDV

 Saquache, Fairplay, Alma, Garland, Lake City, Santa Fe, Taos.

Brumfield Photographer, Ouray, Colorado 1890's

Weitfle Photographer Central City, Mine owner with mine supervisors.

"insane mining fever through which the country passed, and see how the Eastern people , without any exercise of their brains, madly and foolishly rushed into mining speculations, often purchasing without the least examination any thing that was called "a gold mine in Colorado" And as soon as the purchases were made they would form a joint stock company with capital of a million or more dollars, and a small working capital...

In the meantime a person was sent from the East as Superintendent, who, perhaps, had never seen a mine or even rock blasted, the son or favorite of some heavy stockholder in the company, who never before had charge of constructing anything; but now receiving a large salary, and in trusted with unlimited power, this man would make his appearance in Colorado. " Harpers June 1867 Vol XXXV. No. CCV.

Colorado gold seekers

"So the stories go on, as easily as the smoke rises upward and drifts away across the face of the moon. Finally the coffee is well browned, the pipes are out, the camp fire sinks into embers and then into ashes; darkness and stillness reign in the mountains",. KNOCKING 'ROUND THE ROCKIES.
 

Buell Stamp Mill - Chamberlain Photograph - Inside the famous Buell stamp mill located in the gulch below Central City,  The man leaning against the post is Mr. Buell. Mr. Buell amassed a fortune as the cities clerk and recorder and banking ventures with Jerome B. Chaffe. In 1876 total production was one million dollars.

Alexander Martin #235 Miner's exchange Red Cliff, Colorado  -  Known among the miner's as Fort Arnett The settlers fear a Ute Indian attack for revenge after the Meeker Massacre. The large rock outcropping was considered the fort against the feared Indian attack. There are several variants of the Fort Arnett photograph.
 

Fort Arnette

R.C. Linsley Grave Red Cliff - Bear attack victim on the Eagle River final burial. Alexander Martin Photographer # 361, 2 variations

 

The Silver Bars - Collier #130 Nathaniel P. Hill in the doorway.

 

B. W. Kilburn photograph Our Trip to the mines, Ouray. Photograph shows two well dressed men on horseback on a wooded trail surrounded by mountains. Believed to be the Kilburn brothers, Ben is on the left and his brother Edward, and the box on the ground on the left foreground contained their photographic equipment.
 

Photograph of Kilburn. Stopping on the way up to the mine for a photograph Ben has dismounted to take this image of his brother Edward seen on the horse. A less common image then the image above.

Collier No. 92 Volcano Series - Camp on rim of crater. The camp is above the line of perpetual snow. Water for camp must be brought from below the snow banks in the middle ground.  Some of the trophies of the chase are shown.  Collier the photographer is posing for self portrait on the right leaning back against the antlers.

 

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