Month: September 2020

From Mining Days Gone By

Following are some images from a semi-restored stamp mill, high in a mountain basin not far from my home. The hopes of striking it rich with gold and silver drew many west and as a result, Colorado’s mountains are ‘rich’ with mining history. Several nearby towns had larger populations back then, than today. Many others were abandoned altogether since it was not practical to live at such high elevations. Mining in this area started in 1898 and the mill was built between 1905-1906. It is an example of a ‘stamp mill’ named for the method of breaking the ore down using large machines that pound rather than crush. Attracted by the diagonal siding I worked my way around the building looking for compositions while imagining what it must have been like before it stopped operating in 1910.

A stamp mill has been partially restored to preserve mining history in Colorado.
‘Silent Stamp Mill’ © Denise Bush
Colorado miners had great views like this one … looking out an old mill window.
‘Window With Mountain View’ © Denise Bush
A stamp mill high in the mountains has been partially restored in order to preserve this piece of mining history.
‘The Back Side’ © Denise Bush
An abandoned stamp mill from the mining days has an interesting diagonal slope and siding following in line with the background mountain.
‘Three Windows & A Mountain’ © Denise Bush
click here to view larger and see other images in my ‘Remnants & Remains’ collection
The interior of an old mining stamp mill contains few remnants of days gone by.
‘The Workroom’ © Denise Bush
An old mining building high in the mountains displays a unique diagonal siding pattern.
‘Window With Diagonal’ © Denise Bush
click here to view larger and see other images in my ‘Windows & Doors’ collection