July 24th
Looking for cooler temperatures, we took day trips to places around 10,000 feet or higher in the mountains, and revisited County Road 550, and the towns of Ouray and Silverton. (John noticed my favorite wildflowers are currently at higher elevations… and some ski areas have many different species in bloom.) My most striking memories from these towns are the beautiful 100+ year old Victorian homes and businesses, and the history of the gold rush from the 1890s. I found I am really interested in the process of mining and life in the mining towns… It is amazing to me that the miners in the 1890s were prospecting in such extremely rugged mountain areas with not much more than a pickaxe.
Originally established by miners chasing silver and gold in the surrounding mountains, the town of Ouray, Colorado at one time boasted more horses and mules than people. Prospectors arrived in the area in 1875. At the height of the mining, Ouray had more than 30 active mines.
info sign: historic Colorado Mining Country
Greene St in Ouray…
Ouray Hotel for sale…
Beautiful old buildings in Ouray, CO
Preserving the Past…
We continued on CR 550 towards Silverton. We stopped by Bear Creek Falls…
Bear Creek Falls, hitting the splash basin at the base…
CR 550 south of Bear Creek Falls
Back on CR 550, we continued through red mine country…
mining country
information about the Yankee Girl mine
the mountains in the gold rush area today…
six towns sprang up in the Red Mountain Mining district in an area less than eight square miles.
stream polluted from mine tailings/minerals… species live in the water.
the mine sites were closed when they were no longer profitable…
six towns sprang up in the Red Mountain Mining district in an area less than eight square miles.
the mountains in the gold rush area today…
The Heart of the Red Mountains…
Red Mountain Mines
information about the Yankee Girl mine
Idoradan Mine site – there is a tunnel below that goes to Telluride, 5 1/2 miles
and on to Silverton…
Silverton Railroad
Silverton, CO
if only there were no cars in this photo…
White Columbine
unidentified church
I like this building… there was a matching house, too.
beautiful old homes, some in better shape than others.
beautiful pink columbine
Natalia’s 1912 Restaurant had a bordello upstairs
we are starving!
Silverton, Greene Street
only Greene Street was paved; the rest of the streets are dirt roads
Silverton City Hall – 1908
Silverton, CO
we decide to leave before the storm hits but we left it too late…
originally the Odd Fellowes Club in the 1880s
we had to walk over to this tree to see the sign…
the stagecoach is here!
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About Holly Ritger
I am retired, enjoying being a grandmother, traveling to National Parks and other interesting places in our RV with my husband of 43 years, and visiting with friends and family. Hobbies: photography, learning about wildflowers and birds, and trees, and reading from my kindle.
Ah, one of my favorite spots in Colorado 🙂
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Seems like you have been gone forever & you are still finding beautiful places to visit. We envy you. Safe Travels. Ann & Frank
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hi Ann & Frank… we are on our way east. No more mountain vistas!
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I love the western looks of Ouray and Silverton. Ouray does a wonderful 4th of July display. I’ll tell you about it when you get to the beach. My favorite hike of all time is near Silverton, the hike to ice lake.
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Sounds good… I was sorry to miss their July 4th festivities.
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