Ouray & San Miguel Mining
by W. Weston
W. Weston's survey of the mines of Ouray and San Miguel counties, reprinted by Western Reflections. It covers the gold and silver workings of the two San Juan districts with the practical detail the period reports recorded, from veins and workings to what came out of them.
- Published
- 2006
- ISBN
- 978-1-932738-35-3
- Pages
- 164
- Category
- Reprints
- Place
- Ouray
- Publisher
- Western Reflections Publishing Co., Inc.
- Listed at
- $18.29
Publication details from Open Library. The price shown is the last one on record and is historic, not a current offer.
- Direct from us info@westernreflectionspublishing.com or (336) 565-6915. We pack and post from Lake City.
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About this book
Ouray & San Miguel Mining is W. Weston's survey of the mines of Ouray and San Miguel counties in Colorado's San Juan Mountains. It covers the gold and silver workings of those two districts, from the veins and the workings to what came out of them, with the practical detail that period reports recorded.
This is a reprint. Western Reflections brought it back into print in 2006, and the catalogue lists it at 164 pages. The subject headings on record are mines and mineral resources, gold mines and mining, silver mines and mining, and description and travel.
Both counties sit in mining country with a long record. Ouray County was formed from San Juan County on January 18, 1877. San Miguel County was split from Ouray County in 1883, and gold had been found in the Smuggler vein near Telluride in 1875. Before 1883 the San Miguel country was part of Ouray County. Later mines in the area include the Camp Bird, discovered in 1896 and worked for gold and silver until 1916.
Who it is for
This is nonfiction about mining, not a narrative history of the towns. It treats the mines of Ouray County and San Miguel County as subjects in their own right, which makes it a reference for anyone tracing a particular vein, mine or district in the region.
Ways to use this book
Tracing one mine or claim
Pick a single mine from the book and call the Ouray research center to ask what photographs or papers it keeps. Bring the mine's name, nearby town and any dates you have.
Visiting the mining country
Use the Colorado Encyclopedia overview to choose a district, then check the Ouray County Museum page for the building and the three industries it covers: mining, ranching and railroading.
Looking for the original printing
Because the book is a reprint, collectors may want the older edition. Ask archives and libraries whether it appears in their catalogs, and compare page counts before buying anything.
Go deeper
A survey of mines is easier to use with maps, photographs and records beside it. These sources cover the two counties and the range they sit in.
Ouray County Historical Society Research Center
Its archives page says the center holds over 25,000 documents, over 8,000 photographs and a 10,000 book mining history library, by appointment only.
San Juan Mountains in the Colorado Encyclopedia
An overview of the range, including the Red Mountain Mining District, which the article says produced silver as well as gold, iron and copper.
San Juan County Historical Society Mining Heritage Center
The Silverton society's page tells how it built a museum for its mining collection. Silverton is the next county over from Ouray.
Colorado Geological Survey
A state agency inside the Colorado School of Mines that publishes geologic reports and maps, handy for looking up the rock behind a district.
Good to know
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Is it a new book or a reprint?
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