Delagua, Colorado facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Delagua, Colorado
The Delagua site and County Road 44
Delagua, Colorado Location in Colorado Show map of Colorado Delagua, Colorado Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	State of Colorado
County	Las Animas
Elevation	6,686 ft (2,038 m)
Time zone	UTC-7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
Highways	none

Delagua is a ghost town in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. A ghost town is a place where most people have left. The town site is about 5 miles (8 km) south of Aguilar. Delagua was a company town for a coal mine. This means the mining company owned most of the town. The Delagua post office was open from 1903 to 1954.

The name Delagua comes from Spanish words meaning "of the water." It refers to the 'canon of the water'. Delagua became an official town in 1903. The Colorado and Southeastern Railway built tracks to reach the mine and town.

What Was the Delagua Mine?

Delagua grew up around the Delagua coal mine. This mine opened in 1903. It was run by the Victor American Fuel Company. The mine was located in Canon Del Agua. This is about three miles west of the Hastings Mine. The Hastings Mine had a big explosion in 1917. Delagua was also about 8 miles west of the Ludlow Massacre site from 1914. By 1922, the Delagua mine was the biggest in Colorado. At its busiest, it had at least 900 workers.

The Delagua Social Club

In October 1917, the Delagua Mine area was seen as one of the best "mining camps" in the state. By 1916, a saloon and dance hall were changed. They became the Delagua Social Club. This club had three good pool tables and one billiard table. It also had a soda fountain and bowling alleys. There was a stage for movies twice a week. In 1917, the club had at least 250 members.

Mine Accidents and Conflicts

On November 8, 1910, there was a big explosion at the Delagua Mine. It was so loud it could be heard three miles away. This explosion sadly killed 76 miners. Safety experts later found that gas and dust caused the blast. It was started by an open flame from a miner's head lamp. Just one month before, a similar explosion happened at the Starkville Mine. That accident killed 57 people. So, 136 lives were lost in Las Animas County in just one month.

Another smaller accident happened on May 27, 1927. Six miners died in that event.

Delagua was also a place of conflict in 1914. This was during the Colorado Coalfield War. There were disagreements between striking workers and those who continued to work. Some workers were brought to the Delagua mine. They were told things that were not true. Then, they were kept there against their will.

The Delagua mine was finally closed in 1969.