 |
|
|
Telluride History - Gold Mining
The History of Telluride Colorado
|
The Colorado Gold Mining boom of the 1870’s set the stage for what is now considered the most beautiful mountain town in the country. Currently filled with gorgeous Victorian homes and unique western architecture, Telluride was at one time a classic wild western town.
America saw its first gold rush in 1829, when the Georgia Gold Rush sparked national attention. Although the realization of fortunes and riches for many men struck the east coast, it was not until the late 1840’s when the country saw its largest expansion due to the California Gold Rush of 1849 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This rush sparked the imaginations of miners throughout the country, bringing them closer and closer to the canyons of Colorado.
In the early 1850’s, reports were made of gold findings at the base of rivers near Pikes Peak. To many miners at the time, these reports went unnoticed due to the gold rush in California. Not until almost seven years later, small parties explored the gold potential of the Colorado Rockies.
Founded in 1858 by John Fallon, the canyon hills were seen as nothing more than a fortune to be made. Fallon took claim to the Marshal Basin above Telluride and in 1875 the settlement of Telluride occurred.
Near the height of the mining boom, the town saw approximately 5,000 residents. With this boom along came the attraction of both millionaire business tycoons and bank robbing outlaws such as Butch Cassidy. This attention came about when the first toll road was opened to wagons, making it much easier to access the town. Then, in the late 1890’s very serious labor disputes came about. Labor unions were formed, but only after a number of miners’ deaths. In 1896 the Western Federation of Miners was formed and three years later big changes occurred in Telluride. Miners were granted labor and boarding wages of approximately $3 a day.
With working conditions progressively becoming worse and the value of silver diminishing fast, miners began to move away from the canyon in the early 1900’s. By the time America entered World War One, the majority of remaining miners left Telluride to join the military.
|
|
