Mining for Facts

Mining was one of the industries most important to shaping our state’s history and growth, and many Colorado mountain towns had their roots as mining towns. Precious metals, such as gold and silver, as well as other mineral resources, such as coal and molybdenum, were mined in Colorado, and, although on a smaller scale, are still mined today. CoSPL has a rich “lode” of resources on Colorado mining heritage, from both the historical and scientific perspectives. Examples from CoSPL’s collection:

Colorado mining history, general:
-Directory of Mining-Related Properties in the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties, HED6/50.2/M66/2003 (also online)
–Mining History of Colorado, NR12/20.2/M66/2001 (also online)
-Colorado Geological Survey reports and maps

Mining towns and areas:
-The Rise of the Silver Queen: Georgetown, Colorado 1859-1896, HED13.2/R49/2005
-History of Leadville and Lake County, Colorado, From Mountain Solitude to Metropolis, HED6.2/L47/1996
–When Coal Was King: A History of Crested Butte, Colorado 1880-1952, HED4/2.2/C86/1984
–Mining Among the Clouds: The Mosquito Range and the Origins of Colorado’s Silver Boom, HED6.20/2002/6
–Song of the Hammer and Drill: The Colorado San Juans, 1860-1914, HED4/2.2/SA5/1982

Mine labor:
-Coal People: Life in Southern Colorado’s Company Towns, 1890-1930, HED6.20/1999/3
–Biennial Report of the Bureau of Mines of the State of Colorado, NR9/200.1. Collection includes years 1912-1919.