Home› Precious Metals

Old Silver Mine to become tourist attraction?

MeltdownMeltdown Posts: 8,792 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Precious Metals
Here's an interesting story from the AP wires this afternoon.



<< <i>DENVER (AP) -- A sparsely populated county in southwest Colorado hopes to make a tourist attraction of a 19th-century silver mining camp that needs cleanup.
The mine's owner, LKA International Inc. of Gig Harbor, Wash., plans to transfer the site at no charge to Hinsdale County. The county will need to clean up lead and heavy metals contamination and restore buildings before opening the camp to the public.
County Commissioner Stan Whinnery says he hopes the heritage of the Ute-Ulay camp near Lake City will lure visitors year-round to the county, which has about one person per square mile.
The site on Henson Creek sits on a backcountry scenic byway that connects Lake City, Silverton and Ouray. The structures there supported mining that has occurred in fits and spurts since the late 1800s >>



I googled some photo's, it looks pretty fun! I'd like to take my metal detector out there...

image
image
image
image
image
image
image

Click on this link to see my ebay listings.

Comments

  • Timbuk3Timbuk3 Posts: 11,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Interesting story. Looks like fun.
    Thanks for sharing !!! image
    Timbuk3
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,157 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The "Scenic Byway" that connects Lake City, Ouray and Silverton is called Engineer Pass. It is a one lane jeep road that I was over a few times when I lived in Colorado back in the 80's. Not too bad; I knew a lady that went over it in her Volkswagen beetle because she did not know any better, and by the time she figured out how bad the road was there was no place to turn around. Have no idea if they have improved the road since then or not.

    Incredibly gorgeous country out there!
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Very nice and a great idea....however, it looks like a MAJOR investment.... Cheers, RickO
  • razzlerazzle Posts: 987 ✭✭✭
    Not far from me, though I've never tried Engineer, nor have I been to Lake City and Henson Creek. Good suggestion for when the snow clears. In the early 80's, Engineer wiped out half the staff at our local mental health center. It has claimed quite a few people. Guided jeep tours are still a big attraction from Ouray off of the highway at Red Mountain Pass.
    Markets (governments) can remain irrational longer than an investor can remain solvent.
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,157 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @Razzle ... Yes! I always used San Juan Scenic Jeep tours out of Ouray! Great company back then.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • CoulportCoulport Posts: 1,087 ✭✭✭
    Good way to get rid of a potential problem. Environmental clean up can be very expensive. Give the property to the county and let the resident tax payer foot the bill.

    The most money I made are on coins I haven't sold.

    Got quoins?
  • SanctionIISanctionII Posts: 12,119 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I went to college in Durango, Colo. and spent time in the San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado. Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Telluride, etc, are truly located in some of the most scenic Alpine settings in No. America.

    I buddy of mine from college at one time practiced law in Durango and ended up handling a civil case in Hinsdale County at the court house in Lake City. The case ended up requiring a jury trial. My buddy handled the jury trial for the plaintiff. It was the first jury trial in Hinsdale County in over 100 years. The previous jury trial was a murder case back in the late 1800's. My buddy ended up being a local celebrity during the trial. There was daily press coverage by the local radio and print media and the reporters covering the trial interviewed my buddy on a daily basis.
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,157 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I believe that previous murder trial was the infamous "Alferd Packer," convicted of cannibalism! Google him. His name lives on in an unusual place!
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • SanctionIISanctionII Posts: 12,119 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If my memory is correct the student cafeteria at the University Of Colorado's Boulder Campus is the Alfred Packer cafeteria.
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,157 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It's the Alferd Packer Grill. He was born Alfred but according to legend changed it to Alferd after a tattoo artist misspelt his name!
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 28,336 ✭✭✭✭✭
    that looks like it would be fun to go check out. thanks for the heads up.
  • razzlerazzle Posts: 987 ✭✭✭
    The Peoples Republic of Boulder has never forgiven Alferd for eating those democrats.
    Markets (governments) can remain irrational longer than an investor can remain solvent.
  • AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 24,764 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've been there, it's beautiful. It was on a sales route that I had for a few years and there is just
    one thing wrong with that hype: It's not accesable in the winter. Only for about 3 months could
    the public even get there because of the altitude and snow!

    bobimage
    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,157 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What the heck kind of sales route would take you over Engineer Pass?????? Marmot food?????

    LOL
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • fiveNdimefiveNdime Posts: 1,088 ✭✭
    I was watching a Scooby-Doo cartoon with my son and the villian wanted to turn his old silver mine into a tourist attraction where "kids could dig for 12 hours a day, like the good ol days"
    BST transactions: guitarwes; glmmcowan; coiny; nibanny; messydesk
  • razzlerazzle Posts: 987 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Marmot food? >>



    hahaha you have definitely been there!
    Markets (governments) can remain irrational longer than an investor can remain solvent.
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,157 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Marmot food? >>



    hahaha you have definitely been there! >>



    Don't eat the watermelon snow!
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • razzlerazzle Posts: 987 ✭✭✭
    You got me there. I hadn't ever seen it. Just read about it.
    Markets (governments) can remain irrational longer than an investor can remain solvent.
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,157 ✭✭✭✭✭
    One jeep tour the guide showed up a patch of it blooming on a shaded hillside. A nice bright pink from whatever the organism is that grows in the snow. Won't kill you, but he said that the miners ate it when they were constipated!
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • razzlerazzle Posts: 987 ✭✭✭
    That made me laugh. Of course, the success of watermelon snow as a laxative may have been when they had to improve mine ventilation.
    Markets (governments) can remain irrational longer than an investor can remain solvent.
Sign In or Register to comment.