The first mining claim in Telluride was staked by John Fallon in 1875 and mining throughout the San Juans prospered for the next 100 years. The Town of Telluride boomed at the turn of the last century as it supported the needs of the various mines throughout the high country. Mines such as Smuggler-Union, Sheridan and Tomboy rested high above the town and produced millions of dollars of gold, silver and base metals during their tenure.
Come learn more about mining the San Juans as the Telluride Historical Museum presents its fifth chat in its Fireside Chat series this Thursday, Aug. 2. Learn more about the early prospectors into the area, the fortunes extracted, the rise and fall of Telluride’s various mines including the Sheridan, the Smuggler-Union and the Tomboy Mine, and the eventual downturn and closing of the mines throughout the San Juan Mountains.
The fifth chat will feature local historian and mining aficionado, Rudy Davison. Before moving to Telluride in 1975, Davison worked summers underground on the track crew at the Climax Molbydenum Mine near Leadville while completing a degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder. After graduating with a degree in Geography in 1969, Davison worked underground with the Geology Department at the Old Hundred Mine outside Silverton. Davison also worked on a cinnabar (mercury) mine exploration outside of Payson, Ariz. To say that Davison knows something about mining is an understatement.
As publisher of the Telluride Times for six years, Davison knows much about Telluride’s extraordinary history. Davison had the worked as a travel guide as part of Telluride Travel Connection, was on the board of the San Miguel Historical Society (now the Telluride Historical Museum), and served as a member of both HARC and P&Z. After moving to Durango, Davison has become a guide for various 4x4 trips and historian, presenting papers at the national Mining History Conferences and conducting the Telluride Historical Museum’s summertime Hike into History tours.
As with previous years, each chat will be held in Heritage Plaza, in the core of the Mountain Village. Davison’s chat will begin at 5:30pm and last roughly an hour…depending on audience participation. “As popular as these events are, I suggest getting there early to get a front row seat for this extraordinary topic,” says Telluride Historical Museum’s Director of Programming and Outreach, Sonchia Jilek.
Without the support of the Mountain Village these programs would not be possible.
“This is certainly a team effort and we appreciate the support of the Mountain Village in funding this historical series for the community to enjoy,” says Jilek. “Thanks to their assistance, the Fireside Chats series has become a strong annual community event.”
Each event is free and open to the public. As always, a visit to the Museum supplements each program as a means to learn more about each subject.
Rain or shine, a tent will be erected for protection from the rain if necessary, join us Aug. 2 as we continue the 2007 Fireside Chats series. For additional information, visit the museum’s website at www.telluridemuseum.org or call 728-3344.
Post a Comment
