Nestled within Colorado’s rugged San Juan Mountains, Guston, Colorado, emerged as a bustling, albeit short-lived, mining camp at the foot of Champion Gulch. This historic locale, a vital component of the renowned Red Mountain Mining District, once teemed with the fervent activity of prospectors and miners drawn by the promise of abundant ore. Along the route of the Silverton Railroad, Guston rapidly transformed from a scattering of buildings around a few key mines into a community that, for a brief period, epitomized the audacious spirit of the American West’s mining booms.
The story of Guston, Colorado, is intricately tied to the fortunes of its rich lodes, particularly the famous Yankee Girl Mine. Its rise and eventual decline offer a captivating glimpse into the volatile economics and hardy lives that defined these high-altitude settlements.
The Genesis of a Mining Camp: Early Discoveries and the Guston Mine
The earliest significant discoveries in the area began in the summer of 1881. Prospectors John Robinson, A. Meldrum, A.E. Long, and A. Deitlaf staked their claim, naming it the Guston Mine. Initially, they regarded the surface ore as insufficiently valuable to justify shipping. However, this perception changed dramatically the following year when D.C. Hartwell, a shrewd agent for the Pueblo Smelting and Refining Company based in Ouray, recognized the deeper potential and successfully urged its development.
A pivotal moment occurred in August 1882. While hunting in the valley below Red Mountain Pass, John Robinson stumbled upon a substantial chunk of lead and silver ore merely 300 yards from the original Guston Mine. This serendipitous find led Robinson and his partners to stake claims on what would become the Robinson, Orphan Boy, and the immensely profitable Yankee Girl Mines.
Their initial efforts quickly yielded 4,500 pounds of ore, which was transported by pack train to the Ouray smelter. The assay results were astounding: 88 ounces of silver per ton. Just one month later, with the Yankee Girl shaft barely 20 feet deep, the partners made an extraordinary decision, selling the claim for $125,000—a sum equivalent to over $3 million today. This substantial profit provided the capital needed to develop their other promising claims, including the Orphan Boy and Robinson Mines, both of which became significant silver producers. Yet, it was the Yankee Girl that would consistently yield the most profitable ores over the longest period, solidifying its legendary status.
The Yankee Girl’s Boom and Guston’s Development
The phenomenal success of the Yankee Girl Mine quickly captivated public attention, igniting a widespread boom across the entire Red Mountain District. In the same year, 1882, Jasper Brown and Adelbert Parsell discovered the Genessee Mine, which would later merge with the Vanderbilt Mine in 1889, further expanding the district’s productive capacity.
As mining activity surged, a bustling camp naturally formed around these lucrative operations. In 1883, the name Missouri City was proposed, but ultimately, the camp was officially dubbed Guston, a tribute to the first significant mine in the region. Unlike many planned towns, Guston never had an official plat or a defined business district. Instead, homes, saloons, and various businesses sprouted organically wherever available space could be found, creating a unique, sprawling settlement that reflected the impromptu nature of boomtown life.
Technological advancements also rapidly transformed the area. By 1883, the Yankee Girl, Robinson, and Orphan Boy mines were interconnected by an extensive network of tunnels, which would eventually stretch an astonishing 25 miles, facilitating efficient ore extraction and worker movement. A substantial boarding house was constructed at the Yankee Girl to accommodate the growing workforce.
T.E. Schwarts, a distinguished mining engineer, assumed the superintendency of the Yankee Girl Mine in August 1884. Under his expert direction, the mine, initially just 100 feet deep, was developed to an impressive depth of approximately 1,000 feet within five years. Schwarts also oversaw the construction of a large hoisting plant and significant surface improvements. His tenure proved exceptionally profitable, with the company distributing nearly $1,000,000 in dividends. He similarly brought the adjacent Robinson Mine to productivity and, in 1888, took charge of the Guston Mine itself, generating a net profit of $400,000 during his management.
Life and Infrastructure in a Thriving Mining Camp
Bolstered by this remarkable productivity, the Guston mining camp flourished, reaching a population of around 300 residents. It soon acquired many of the amenities characteristic of a burgeoning frontier town, including a vital schoolhouse for the miners’ children. Daily, the Yankee Girl Mine alone produced ten tons of ore, which a train of 75 mules meticulously transported south to the railroad in Silverton, a testament to the sheer scale of the operation.
A monumental development for the district was the completion of the Silverton Railroad in 1889. This crucial rail link extended from Silverton, crossing Red Mountain Pass and passing directly through Red Mountain Town, Guston, and Ironton. The railroad’s arrival dramatically slashed the costs of shipping ore, thereby significantly enhancing the profitability of the local mines. Guston gained a small but essential depot – little more than a passenger shelter, yet it stood as the sole railroad depot on Red Mountain Pass, a clear indicator of Guston’s importance.
Faith Amidst Fortune: The Guston Church
In the summer of 1891, the Home Missionary Board of the Congregational Church dispatched Reverend William Davis from Denver to the Red Mountain District with a mission to establish a house of worship. His initial efforts in Red Mountain Town, the district’s largest community, met with staunch resistance. Saloon and brothel owners, fearing a negative impact on their businesses, effectively thwarted his plans.
However, Reverend Davis received a strikingly different reception a mile north in Guston. He was warmly welcomed, and one of the mine owners generously donated a small plot of land for a church and a cabin for his family. The community rallied, raising $300 for construction, and lumber was freely provided. Davis, leveraging his carpentry skills from his younger days, personally built the church with the help of local residents. The church opened its doors in 1892. A peculiar coincidence marked its dedication day: the business district of Red Mountain Town burned to the ground. This event famously led Reverend Davis to declare,
