Historic Silverton

Silverton Magazine - Silverton, Colorado
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Historic Silverton - Heart of the San Juan Mountains

Story by Kathryn Retzler
All content © San Juan Publishing Group, Inc, All rights reserved.

HISTORIC SILVERTON—it’s the heart of San Juan County and the still-beating heart of the rugged San Juan Mountains. Two centuries ago the scenic valley that is home to Silverton today was a summer hunting ground of the Ute Indians. Few white men had ever visited here. Those who did were mostly trappers and an occasional priest who passed this way as early as the 1700s.

Then, in the mid 1800s, somebody saw gold. The rush was on! Laden with picks, shovels, and endless hope, men flocked to the San Juans. They dug mines, built tent cities, then towns. They built mills and saloons and gambling halls, then churches and schools and town halls. They built trails, then wagon roads, then railroads. Ministers soon joined the miners, and “honest” ladies tried to run the “shady” ladies out of town. Shopkeepers, schoolmarms, and sheriffs began sharing the streets with saloon keepers, gamblers, and miners in town to spend their cash. It was a raucous, racy time when every heart beat with the hope of eternal riches, be it from digging for ore or holding a winning hand of cards. (Related stories.)

Although there were other towns and mining camps throughout the San Juans, when the railroad arrived in July 1882, Silverton became the heart of them all. And San Juan County became the heart of America’s mountain west. Surprisingly little has changed. The railroad still steams into town. The old mining trails are still in use, although today it’s jeeps and ATVs that traverse them rather than burros and teams pulling ore wagons. Most of the mines are boarded up...for now...but their shafts still tunnel beneath the mountains. Their old head works and mine trams remain, perhaps waiting until called into service again. Just about everyone who lives here owns a piece of mining memorabilia and can tell you a story of how and where they found it, and probably give you the history of the mine it came from.

The town of Silverton still remains uniquely intact, little changed from its mining heydays. In town, impressive brick and stone buildings boast tin ceilings, ornate and elaborate saloon fixtures, and in more than one building, remnants of gambling equipment and whiskey bottles from bygone eras. (Related Stories.)

Best of all, anyone can follow the trail of those hopeful men who came here so long ago (and a few still do!) seeking their fortune in silver and gold. The old trails and roads crisscross the mountains, connecting remnants of towns and old mines, some partially restored and protected through the efforts of the San Juan County Historical Society. One of the most fascinating of those is Animas Forks. At 11,300 ft. elevation, it was the highest mining town served by rail.

How do you travel these old trails? Hike, bike, rent an ATV or a jeep. Take a guided jeep tour with a company like Switzerland of America (out of neighboring Ouray), whose experienced drivers and guides are extremely knowledgeable about the area and its history.

How do you get to Silverton, heart of the San Juans? Drive your own car, rent one, come in by bus, bike, or foot, or ride the train up from Durango. Silverton is midway between Ouray (23 miles to the north) and Durango ( 50 miles south). The arrival of the railroad in 1881-82 opened up the San Juan mining district, making it possible to ship ore out and men and material in to Silverton and the numerous mines surrounding it. Today, still using those same tracks, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad still steams up from Durango, the melodious whistles of steam locomotives evoking that long ago era. (Related stories.)

However you choose to get here, it’s a trip worth taking. Once you visit, your heart will forever be lost to Silverton, heart of history and the scenic San Juans.

Photographs
Top: Animas Forks, 11,300 ft., highest mining town in San Juan County. ©Kathryn Retzler
Center: City Hall and historic buildings, Greene Street. ©Kathryn Retzler
Bottom: Silverton Depot and Engine 480 pulling the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge train into town. ©James Burke

The Silverton Magazine. Copyright 2000-2010
Published by San Juan Publishing Group, Inc., Colorado
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