Photographic images from a collection of 88 original glass-plate negatives, dated 1881 - 1915

Anthracite - Smith Hill Mine, Gunnison County, Colorado, circa 1900

This mine, along with the Town of Anthracite, was once owned by The Colorado Fuel & Iron Company.  It is now private property.  According to CAMP and PLANT (Number 4, Volume III, January 28, 1903), this coal-mining property was opened in 1882 by George Holt, Howard F. Smith, and Dr. William A. Bell (co-founder of The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad with William J. Palmer).  An average of 60 men were employed to remove approximately 5,000 tons of coal per month, most of who lived in the Town of Anthracite.  This mining camp was located high up on the precipitous side of a ridge, 10,000 feet above sea level.  The incline from the mine to breaker, built at a 45-degree pitch, was 1800 feet in length -- the longest, as well as the steepest, in Colorado at the time.  The Colorado Supply Company operated the Anthracite boarding house, managed by M. P. McDermott.  Dr. J. W. Rockefeller, of Crested Butte, looked after the health and sanitation of the mine and town.  No telephone communication was available at Anthracite; however, there was a telegraph line.

Exquisite Saloon Nude, purported to have hung in the Murray Brothers Saloon, Town of Gunnison, Gunnison County, 1882

However, this is not documented.  It could have also been in D. S. Hyman's or C. Conrad's saloon.  It would be interesting to learn if this painting is still in Gunnison County, who painted it, and what is the true factual history behind the canvas.

Burro hauling boys in cart, Town of Gunnison, Gunnison County, Colorado, circa 1882

Club Picnic in the mountains above Crested Butte, Gunnison County, Colorado, circa 1900

Elk Mountains, Gunnison County, Colorado ranching scene, circa 1890

Mining scene near Pitkin, Gunnison County, Colorado, circa 1890

Ohio City, Gold Brick Mining District, Gunnison County, Colorado, circa 1890

West End of Alpine Tunnel, above Pitkin, Gunnison County, Colorado, circa 1890

Along The Denver, South Park & Pacific Line (Denver, Leadville & Gunnison)

Town of Monarch, Chaffee County, Colorado, circa 1885

Cimarron, Montrose County, Colorado, circa 1885

The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad crossed the Cimarron River on an exceptionally engineered trestle northeast of this town.

All of the following images are reproduced from a privately owned collection of original glass-plate negatives, taken by various Colorado photographers from 1881 - 1915.  Most are of historical Gunnison County, Colorado scenes; some are from Chaffee and Montrose counties.  Overall quality is superb.  This web page and the next exhibit representative photographic images.  If interested in acquiring this entire original glass-plate negative collection, please inquire for more details.