Nestled high in the majestic San Juan Mountains at an elevation of 9,318 feet, Silverton, Colorado, stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of the American West. This historic former silver mining camp, rich in both natural beauty and dramatic human history, beckons visitors to explore its past. From its origins as ancestral Ute hunting grounds to its vibrant mining boom and eventual transformation into a beloved tourist destination, Silverton, Colorado, offers a captivating glimpse into a bygone era.
The Ute Homeland and Early European Encounters
Long before the arrival of European settlers, the vast lands of western Colorado, including the future site of Silverton, were the ancestral domain of the Ute Indians. These skilled hunters and gatherers ranged across a wide territory encompassing eastern Utah, northern New Mexico, and the entirety of Colorado. Early Spanish expeditions, while exploring eastern Colorado, largely avoided the western regions due to the Ute’s fierce defense of their territory. However, a significant shift occurred when Vélez Cachupín, the Spanish governor of New Mexico, successfully forged a peace treaty with the Utes of western Colorado. This opened the door for expeditions led by Juan Antonio María de Rivera, and subsequent trails developed through the area. The Spanish introduction of horses profoundly impacted the Ute tribe, granting them greater mobility and enhancing their prosperity.
By the early 1800s, American fur traders and explorers also began traversing these lands, often encountering similar resistance from the Ute. Yet, the allure of mineral wealth proved too strong to ignore. In August 1860, Captain Charles Baker led a group of prospectors into the western San Juan Mountains, where they discovered traces of placer gold along the Animas River. This area was subsequently named “Baker’s Park.”
Gold Fever, Conflict, and Treaties
The discovery of gold brought immediate conflict. In 1861, Ute Indians, who held treaty-recognized control of the region, successfully forced miners out. One prospector famously described the area as “the highest, roughest, broadest, and most abrupt of all the ranges.” News of the gold strike spread quickly, but the looming Civil War and the Ute’s territorial rights temporarily deterred a large influx of white settlers.
This pause was short-lived. In 1872, the discovery of lode gold in the Little Giant vein at Arrastra Gulch, just four miles east of Silverton, sparked a renewed and far more intense gold rush. Miners returned in droves, brazenly disregarding existing government treaties and trespassing on Ute lands. The pressure intensified with George Howard and R.J. McNutt’s 1873 discovery of the Sunnyside silver vein near Hurricane Peak. Soon, thousands of prospectors swarmed the high country of the San Juan Mountains.
Faced with escalating tensions, American officials convened with Chief Ouray of the Ute Indians in September 1873. The resulting Brunot Treaty was a pivotal moment, forcing the Ute to cede four million acres and relocate to a reservation. This controversial agreement officially opened the San Juan Mountains to white settlement, triggering a massive migration of miners and settlers. By the end of 1873, nearly 4,000 claims had been staked.
The Birth and Boom of Silverton
As mining operations exploded, towns like Silverton, Howardsville, and Eureka emerged to support the growing number of miners. Access to these remote settlements was incredibly difficult, primarily via the arduous 12,500-foot Stony Pass. Despite the challenges, prospectors continued to pour in.
The Town of Silverton was formally established in Baker’s Park in 1874. Francis Marion Snowden built its first log cabin, marking the beginning of a permanent settlement. Officially organized in September of that year, a townsite was meticulously laid out. Its strategic central location, at the confluence of several streams, quickly positioned Silverton as the primary hub for numerous surrounding mining camps. It even usurped the county seat from Howardsville. Initially a collection of tents, log cabins, and temporary wooden structures, Silverton soon saw more permanent buildings rise along Greene Street (now Main Street). Essential infrastructure like a sawmill and smelter were constructed, and in 1875, the area’s first newspaper, the La Plata Miner, began publication.
The early years of Silverton were defined by its profound remoteness, which severely hampered mining operations. In 1874, the district produced less than $15,000 in ore, all transported laboriously by donkeys. This situation began to change when the Animas Canyon Toll Road Company started constructing a 32-mile thoroughfare along the Animas River in 1876, aiming to connect Silverton’s miners with resources in Animas City. In 1878, the Congregational Church, a structure that still serves its congregation today, was erected at the corner of Reese and 11th Streets.
The Railroad’s Arrival and a Wild West Legacy
The true turning point for Silverton, Colorado, was the arrival of the railroad. By 1879, the town had established a hook and ladder fire company, its equipment painstakingly hauled over Stony Pass. The Animas Canyon Toll Road helped grow Silverton’s population to approximately 1,000 by 1880. A major development occurred in September 1880 when William Jackson Palmer’s Denver & Rio Grande Railway established the town of Durango, with tracks reaching it by July 1881. Work immediately commenced on the final 45-mile stretch to Silverton, utilizing portions of the Animas River wagon road for the new railway route.
Like many burgeoning mining camps, Silverton in its early days was a turbulent place, sometimes prone to violence and lawlessness. On August 24, 1881, the notorious Stockton Gang arrived. When Marshal David Clayton “Clate” Ogsbury attempted to serve arrest warrants, he was tragically killed by the gang. Two gang members were later captured and lynched by determined vigilantes.
The first train steamed into Silverton on July 8, 1882, sparking a multi-day wild celebration. Passenger service began just days later, on July 11, and the first ore was hauled on July 13. This pivotal event ushered in a new era for Silverton and San Juan County, fueling a mining boom that would thrive for the next three decades. By 1883, the district’s mining production had quadrupled to an impressive $400,000. Silverton itself boasted a population of 2,000 residents and some 400 buildings, including two banks, five laundries, 29 saloons, and several hotels. This prosperity also gave rise to a bustling “red light district” along Blair Street, a notorious section of town that remains famous today. One of the many notable establishments was the Grand Hotel, which opened in 1883 and later became the Grand Imperial Hotel, still in operation.
Blair Street, Lawmen, and the Million-Dollar Highway
From its inception, Silverton’s residents unofficially divided Greene Street, separating the “respectable” west side from the more “decadent” east side. Blair Street lay at the heart of this notorious eastern section, lined with saloons, variety theaters, dance halls, bordellos, “cribs,” and boarding houses. Prostitution and gambling were openly accepted, even contributing significantly to the town’s economic base, with prostitutes paying a monthly fine of $5. However, moral pressures occasionally surfaced, as evidenced by a grand jury issuing 117 indictments against “lewd women” in May 1883.
It was also in 1883 that legendary frontier lawman Wyatt Earp briefly found himself in Silverton, dealing cards at the Arlington Saloon. His stay was cut short when fellow lawmen Bat Masterson and Doc Holliday arrived, persuading Earp to assist their friend Luke Short in a dispute in Dodge City, Kansas. This bloodless confrontation became known as the Dodge City War. Masterson would return to Silverton in the mid-1880s, invited by the town council to “clean up the town” as a special marshal. His mere presence often caused troublemakers to disperse without a shot being fired, though a bullet hole in the Grand Imperial Hotel’s ornate bar is attributed to him.
In 1885, Otto Mears, a master builder of toll roads, completed his “greatest road,” the predecessor to the famous “Million-Dollar Highway” connecting Silverton and Ouray. This engineering marvel carved its way through the rugged Uncompahgre River gorge, crossed Red Mountain, and clung to a narrow ledge hundreds of feet above the canyon floor. The same year, Silverton was incorporated, and the San Juan Mining District proudly produced $1 million worth of ore.
Silverton’s status as a transportation hub solidified further with the construction of three narrow-gauge lines. Otto Mears built the Silverton Railroad north to Red Mountain (1888-89), followed by the Silverton, Gladstone & Northerly up Cement Creek to the Gold King Mine (1898), and finally, the Silverton Northern reaching Animas Forks (1904). These lines efficiently connected outlying mines to the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad at Silverton.
Silver Crash, Gold Resurgence, and Decline
The 1890s saw the San Juan Mining District’s annual ore production soar to over $2 million. By this time, Silverton had become more “civilized,” with the establishment of fraternal lodges and a literary society. The district was so productive in 1890-91 that the railroad struggled to transport the ore fast enough, a testament to advancements in mining machinery, concentration plants, and aerial tramways.
However, a devastating blow arrived in 1893 with the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. This act plunged silver mines across Colorado into a severe depression, from which many never recovered. Ten large mines in the Silverton area were forced to close as silver prices plummeted from $1.05 to 63 cents an ounce. Fortunately, many mines were owned by large corporations with the financial fortitude to weather the crisis. Gold then became the new primary focus, its extraction made easier with evolving technology.
The early 1900s marked a period of civic development, with new public buildings constructed, including the Carnegie Library (1906), San Juan County Courthouse (1907), County Jail (1902), Town Hall (1907), and the Miners Union Hall (1901), among others. These structures signified a mature and established community.
Silverton’s incredible mining boom began its slow decline in the 1910s. Recognizing this shift, the Silverton Commercial Club, organized in 1913, proactively began promoting recreation and tourism in the region, an early sign of the town’s future direction. By 1918, the San Juan Mining District had generated over $65 million in ore, a truly staggering sum. That same year, however, Silverton, like the rest of the world, was tragically affected by the 1918 flu epidemic. Over 150 people—approximately 10% of the population—died within three weeks in October and November, with ninety townspeople buried in a single mass grave, a stark reminder of the fragility of life even in a booming town.
Metal prices further fell in 1921, leading to a significant reduction in mining activity and a dwindling population. Despite the eventual decline, the San Juan mining operations left an indelible legacy, pioneering advancements in ore transportation via tramways, the industrial application of electricity, and the development of various new equipment types.
Conclusion: Silverton’s Enduring Legacy
From its tumultuous beginnings as a remote Ute hunting ground and then a rugged gold and silver outpost, Silverton, Colorado, has continually reinvented itself. The town’s history is a vibrant tapestry woven with tales of fierce native resistance, audacious prospectors, groundbreaking engineering, lawless characters, and resilient communities. While the roar of the stamp mills has largely faded, Silverton’s charm has only grown. Today, it thrives as a vibrant tourist destination, famous for its historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, its beautifully preserved Victorian architecture, and its access to the breathtaking San Juan National Forest. Silverton stands as a living museum, a place where visitors can step back in time and experience the raw, authentic spirit of the American mining frontier, forever etched into the dramatic landscape of the San Juan Mountains.
