In southwest
Colorado’s mining districts, remnants of massive boarding houses hug the cliffs
of some of the country’s highest mountains. How prospectors decided to look for
gold on the rugged peaks boggles the imagination. But they did, and some struck
rich veins. Removal of the ore required a sizeable workforce.
Author Photo in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado |
Even the hardiest of mountain men avoid winters in the San Juan Mountains, which last for about ten months. But mining companies couldn’t choose a comfortable location where workers could live in town. They had to follow the gold.
Many of the
dwellings provided access directly to the mine, allowing workers to avoid the
harsh winter weather. Miners would hang their sweaty, damp clothes to dry-out
between shifts in a “dry” room near the mine entrance. This kept the dirty mine
clothes out of the bedrooms.
Some boarding
houses sat on flat spots near the mine where roads could bring people and
supplies to the site. Others were built into the side of a hill where the most
direct access was on a tram which ran on cables hundreds of feet above the
ground. Even ladies who visited for dances rode the trams in their finery.
Author Photos at the Mayflower Mill near Silverton, Colorado |
Detroit Photographic Co. Colorado. "American-Nettie" mine, Ouray. [Between 1898 and 1905] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2008678058/>.
Close Up of Building and Outhouse |
A cadre of cooks prepared meals—head cooks,
second cooks, bakers, dishwashers, pan washers, and flunkies. Yes. Flunky was
an official job title for someone who did the odd jobs no one else wanted to do.
He earned as much as a miner. Head cooks made more.
One thing the
boarding houses did not have was a bar. It is thought that company policy
limited alcohol consumption at most sites. This rule would have toned down the
rowdiness, and kept men ready for work.
As the mines were
depleted and transportation into the mountains improved, boarding houses became
a relic of a bygone era. The perfect thing to feed the imagination of an
author.
***
Suzanne Norquist is the author of two novellas, “A Song for Rose” in A Bouquet of Brides Collection and “Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection. Everything fascinates her. She has worked as a chemist, professor, financial analyst, and even earned a doctorate in economics. Research feeds her curiosity and she shares the adventure with her readers. She lives in New Mexico with her mining engineer husband and has two grown children. When not writing, she explores the mountains, hikes, and attends kickboxing class.
Four
historical romances celebrating the arts of sewing and quilting.
Mending Sarah’s Heart by Suzanne
Norquist
Rockledge, Colorado, 1884
Sarah seeks a quiet life as a
seamstress. She doesn’t need anyone, especially her dead husband’s partner. If
only the Emporium of Fashion would stop stealing her customers and the local
hoodlums would leave her sons alone. When she rejects her husband’s share of
the mine, his partner Jack seeks to serve her through other means. But will his
efforts only push her further away?
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Wow! I guess I never had a picture in my head of how "developed" these mining communities could be. In my head I guess I always pictured tents and hastily built shacks. I never imagined hotel-sized buildings and luxuries like restaurant food! Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteIt took me by surprise too. When I started my research, I expected to write about something more primitive.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I would have climbed into a tram in all my finery to go to a dance at a gold mine!
ReplyDeleteMe neither. There were probably plenty of available men in town.
DeleteI haven't heard about these types of boardinghouses before. Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks. It was fun to research.
DeleteFascinating article. I've heard of some outlandish outhouses, but the American-Nettie wins the prize!
ReplyDeleteThanks. It is a little frightening.
Delete