Nestled precariously on the side of Battle Mountain, approximately 12 miles southeast of Avon, Gilman, Colorado stands as a haunting testament to the state’s rich mining history. This now-abandoned settlement, once a bustling company town, began its life in 1886, driven by the relentless search for silver before evolving into a pivotal center for lead and zinc mining. The story of Gilman, Colorado, is a dramatic narrative of boom and bust, innovation, community, and ultimately, environmental reckoning.
The Silver Rush and Early Mining Endeavors
The discovery of rich silver-lead deposits in the area by 1876 ignited the fervent Colorado silver boom. Thousands flocked to nearby Leadville, then spread out, navigating treacherous old Ute Indian trails over Tennessee Pass. This perilous route, aptly named “Battle” for its challenging terrain, soon widened to accommodate mule and ox teams, yet remained a formidable barrier. By 1879, significant ore strikes were reported in the Battle Mountain District, particularly around Red Cliff, marking the beginning of intensive mining operations.
The opening of Kelly’s Toll Road in 1879, a precursor to present-day Highway 24, further facilitated access from Leadville, drawing more miners deeper into the canyon and onto Battle Mountain’s steep slopes. Esteemed prospectors like Judge D.D. Belden and newspaperman Joseph Burnell made pivotal discoveries, leading to the establishment of the Belden Mine and the highly profitable Iron Mask Mine. These, along with others like Black Iron and Little Ollie, solidified the region’s mining potential. Mining camps such as Belden, Rock Creek, and Clinton (the future Gilman) quickly materialized, supported by crucial infrastructure like smelters, stamp mills, and sawmills by 1880.
The Birth and Boom of Gilman
The Denver and Rio Grande Railway reached Redcliff by 1881 and extended to the base of Battle Mountain soon after, with a station at Belden. Redcliff briefly became the first boomtown in the district, but the focus soon shifted. John Clinton, a prominent judge and speculator from Red Cliff, acquired several key mining operations in the early 1880s, including the lucrative Iron Mask Mine, which would become Colorado’s leading producer of lead and zinc for decades.
Clinton established a mining camp at 8,950 feet on a 600-foot cliff overlooking the Eagle River, on the flank of Battle Mountain. This camp, initially named Clinton in his honor, saw its first building—a saloon—erected in 1884. The year 1886 proved transformative: the Iron Mask Mine constructed Battle Mountain’s first tramway, connecting the mine to the railroad and allowing it to ship over 100 tons of ore daily. State inspectors estimated the Iron Mask held immense reserves, spurring a rapid doubling of its workforce.
The burgeoning camp quickly became Battle Mountain’s second boomtown. In 1886, it received a post office and was renamed Gilman, honoring Henry Gilman, the well-liked superintendent of the Iron Mask Mine who had also donated land for the local school. By late 1887, Gilman boasted a population of nearly 1,000, complete with a hotel, general store, newspaper, and several saloons, though it also experienced the typical lawlessness of a frontier mining camp.
Challenges and Transformation: From Silver to Zinc
The initial mining frenzy subsided, and Gilman’s population dipped to 442 by 1890. The national silver crash of 1893 dealt a severe blow, halting many operations and reducing production significantly; Gilman’s mines would not fully recover for two decades. Further devastation struck in 1899 when a massive fire consumed the Iron Mask Hotel, the school, and much of the business district. Despite these setbacks, the turn of the century saw the area shift its focus, with mines pivoting from silver and gold to increasingly vital zinc production.
In 1905, the Eagle Milling and Mining Company reopened the Iron Mask Mine, focusing on zinc with new separation technologies. A pivotal change occurred in 1912 when the New Jersey Zinc Company began systematically acquiring claims and land across Battle Mountain, including the entire town of Gilman. This marked the end of independent mining and the beginning of Gilman as a quintessential company town model. By 1919, the Iron Mask Mine was renamed “Eagle 1” and “Eagle 2,” and though it continued to be Colorado’s leading silver producer in 1930, zinc became its primary output. The Eagle Mine eventually developed an extensive network of 62 miles of tunnels beneath the mountain.
Life in a Modern Company Town
Under the New Jersey Zinc Company’s ownership, efficiency and control became hallmarks of Gilman. Old cabins were replaced with dozens of uniform, well-insulated houses featuring modern amenities like electricity and hot water, a stark contrast to many rural settlements. As Vesta Coursen, an early resident, quipped, “We had to come out to the wilds of Colorado to find modern improvements such as we had not enjoyed in the civilized East!” The company owned everything in Gilman: housing, the school, post office, and all retail spaces. It provided a two-story clubhouse with a pool hall, basketball court, and library lounge, serving as the social heart of the community with monthly dances, movies, and holiday celebrations. A hospital, general store, dormitory, and mess hall further solidified the town’s self-sufficiency. Residents enjoyed sledding, early forms of skiing introduced by Scandinavian workers, and the unspoiled wilderness for hunting, fishing, and hiking. The company’s paternalistic influence extended to school board appointments and movie screenings, ensuring a carefully curated community life.
Improvements in transportation further connected Gilman. A new road over Battle Mountain, following Kelly’s Toll Road, was completed in 1923 and became Highway 24, open year-round by 1929. In 1940, the iconic Red Cliff Bridge, one of only two steel arch bridges in Colorado, was completed just east of Gilman, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Resilience, Wartime, and Labor Strife
Despite the Great Depression, the Eagle Mine uniquely never fully closed. When zinc prices dropped in 1931, the company temporarily shifted to copper and silver, remaining remarkably successful and producing 85 percent of Colorado’s copper and 65 percent of its silver. Many laid-off workers were recalled by 1933, a testament to the mine’s resilience. Zinc production fully resumed in 1941, becoming crucial during World War II, when miners were exempt from the military draft due to the vital role of zinc in the war effort. The town thrived, employing up to 375 people.
Post-war, Gilman’s clubhouse was expanded with a new dance floor, modern kitchen, and Eagle County’s only bowling alley. Unlike many mining companies known for exploitation, New Jersey Zinc had fostered a stable, safe, and happy community, discouraging unionization until the 1950s. However, the Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers began organizing, promising better wages and benefits. This led to a brief strike in August 1954, causing internal strife among workers. While the company conceded a small raise, the idyll of Gilman was broken, leading to fractured relationships and weakened corporate paternalism. Another strike in 1959 further highlighted these tensions, though it was settled the following year.
The Final Chapter and Environmental Legacy
Through the 1960s, U.S. military demand kept zinc production strong, and Gilman continued to support several hundred residents with its infirmary, grocery, and bowling alley. However, by 1965, stagnant zinc prices and the need for significant capital investment cast a shadow over Gilman’s future. New Jersey Zinc sold the operation to Gulf and Western Industries, Inc., an auto parts corporation interested in zinc for chrome production.
By 1970, the mines had extracted a staggering 10 million tons of ore across zinc, gold, silver, and copper. Yet, by the mid-1970s, demand for chrome in automobiles dwindled, and the mine’s zinc reserves were almost depleted. A temporary surge in gold and silver prices sustained a smaller operation for a few more years, but the inevitable arrived. The Eagle Mine officially closed at the end of 1977, laying off 154 miners and signaling the end of an era.
The abandonment of Gilman, however, left a complex environmental legacy. Decades of mining activities had resulted in significant heavy metal contamination in the surrounding land and water, particularly affecting the Eagle River. Designated a Superfund site, extensive cleanup efforts have been ongoing to mitigate the ecological damage. Today, Gilman, Colorado, stands as a forbidden, fenced-off ghost town, its vacant buildings and mine shafts a silent monument to its storied past and the enduring environmental challenges of industrial heritage. It serves as a powerful reminder of the human endeavor to harness natural resources and the lasting impact left upon the landscape.
