Golden Fleece Mine (Colorado) facts for kids
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The Golden Fleece Mine was a very important gold mining site in Hinsdale County, Colorado. It is located about 5 miles (8 km) south of Lake City, near the beautiful Lake San Cristobal. This mine was famous for producing a lot of gold and silver ore, bringing in about $1,400,000 by 1904! It operated on and off until 1919. Even though there was some interest in it again in the 1960s, it hasn't produced much since then.
The Golden Fleece Mine played a big part in helping the area around Lake City grow. It's also known for a special mineral called hinsdalite. This mineral is a type of phosphate mineral with a complex chemical name (PbAl3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6).
Contents
The Mine's Exciting History
How Gold Was Found
Gold was first discovered at this mine in 1874 by a man named Enos Throop Hotchkiss. He was known for building toll roads. He and a few friends, including Monette Hotchkiss, James Sparling, Ben Hall, and Byron Bartholf, claimed the land and called it the "Hotchkiss Claim."
Early Challenges and New Owners
The first owners had some trouble doing the required work on the mine in time. So, in October 1874, the claim was taken over by new people: Henry Finley, W. C. Lewman, Byron Bartloff, Monette Hotchkiss, and Enos T. Hotchkiss. Each person owned one-fifth of the mine. Later, some of the shares were traded or sold. For example, Henry Finley paid $8,000 for Byron Bartholf's share.
In early 1875, a rich businessman from New York, John J. Crooke, bought a part of the Hotchkiss mine for $10,000. Another share was sold to Jonathan T. Livingston for $17,500. The early work at the mine looked very promising! Tests showed that the mine was full of valuable telluride minerals and high-quality gold ore not far below the ground.
The Mine's New Name
In November 1876, work at the Hotchkiss mine suddenly stopped. Enos T. Hotchkiss was badly hurt when he fell 30 feet down a mine shaft. After being unused for many months, the mine was sold. New owners, Chris Johnson, George E. Wilson, and Samuel Wendell, took over. They renamed the site the Golden Fleece Mine.
A Big Discovery
In 1890, Charles H. Davis leased the Golden Fleece mine. Then, in 1892, he found a huge vein of very rich telluride ore. This was a big deal! In July 1892, just one carload of this ore was worth more than $19,000. By September 1892, he sold his part of the mine for $50,000 to George W. Peirce of the Golden Fleece Mining and Milling Company (New York).
Later Years
The mine was not always active. In 1911, it was found to be idle. It was owned by different companies over the years, like Colorado-Utah Mines Operating Co. in 1918/1920, and later the revived Golden Fleece Mining and Milling Company (Iowa) in 1922. In 1944, H. E. Moore bought the mine.
Today, you can still see the ruins of old buildings from the Golden Fleece mine near the north end of Lake San Cristobal. It's a reminder of its rich history!
Other Golden Fleece Mines in Colorado
Did you know there were other mines in Colorado also called Golden Fleece? While they were operating, none of them became as famous or important as the Golden Fleece mine near Lake San Cristobal.
Here are a few of them:
- Golden Fleece Mine, San Juan County: This mine was located in Picayune Gulch, about 5.5 miles (9 km) from Eureka.
- Golden Fleece Mine, Lake County: You could find this one on Bull Hill, near Twin Lakes and Leadville. It was at a high elevation of 12,769 feet (3,892 m).
- Golden Fleece Mine, Dolores County: Also known as the Golden Fleece Prospect, this mine was located near Rico.
In an old mining guide from 1883, two more Golden Fleece mines were described:
- Another Golden Fleece Mine in San Juan County: This one was on the north-east side of Treasure Mountain, about a mile south of Animas Forks.
- Golden Fleece Mine, Gilpin County: This mine was located on Bobtail Hill, a little north of the Golden Age Mine.
