The 18th Annual Conference of the Mining History Association was held in Leadville, Colorado, June 7-10, 2007.  This was the Association’s second conference in Leadville which, at its peak, was one of the largest silver camps in the world.  The value of the cumulative production from the Leadville mines is estimated to be $512,000,000 (through 1967) or over $5 billion in current U. S. dollars.  The venue for the Conference was the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum.  It honors the memory of men and women who pioneered the discovery, development and processing of our Nation’s mineral resources.  New Hall of Fame inductees are selected annually.  The Mining Museum contains a variety of exhibits including a walk-through replica of an underground mine of the type found in Leadville, dioramas illustrating many types of mining, and an excellent collection of spectacular mineral specimens including gold from the famous Little Jonny Mine owned by John J. and “the Unsinkable” Molly Brown.  The convention and catering facilities at the Hall of Fame provided everything needed for a successful conference.

In 1860 gold prospectors hit pay dirt in California Gulch on the south side of modern-day Leadville.  They worked their way up the gulch and founded Oro City.  Lode mining for gold followed the placer mining.  By 1874 the gold was running out but the heavy grey mineral in the creek beds was determined to be Cerrusite, a rich silver-bearing lead ore mineral.  A number of silver mines were discovered in the early 1870’s on Iron Hill and Carbonate Hill, east of town.  The 1878 discovery of the rich silver lode at the Little Pittsburgh Mine on Fryer Hill northeast of downtown helped kick the silver rush into high gear.    It provided Horace A. W. Tabor with the start of his fortune and his subsequent success at the Matchless Mine.   By 1880, the population of Leadville had jumped to 40,000. 

For over 100 years, Leadville was one of the major U. S. mining districts.  The last mine, the American Smelting and Refining Company‘s (ASARCO) Black Cloud Mine, closed in 1999.  Fortunately, several environmental remediation projects have spared many of the historic mine buildings scattered throughout the district.  The 12.5 mile long Mineral Belt Trail was created as part of the remediation effort.  It utilizes several old railroad rights-of-way and provides an easy way for hikers, bikers, and cross-country skiers to visit several parts of the historic mining area.

In addition to the Browns and the Tabors, many other famous and infamous people have connections to Leadville.  Meyer Guggenheim invested in the A. Y. and Minnie Mines in California Gulch and amassed a fortune that grew into ASARCO. David May got his start in Leadville and went on to found the May Company department stores.  They later merged into Federated Department Stores and more recently into Macys.  The notorious characters included John Henry “Doc” Holliday and his wife “Big Nose Kate.”  The outlaw, Jessie James, con man “Soapy” Smith, and lawman, Bat Masterson, also passed through Leadville.  Many of the other less-famous and less-infamous found eternal rest in Leadville’s Evergreen Cemetery.  Established in 1879, it has sections for various faiths as well as many fraternal orders.

National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum, Leadville, Colorado.

Historic Tabor Grand AKA the Vendome Hotel on Harrison Street.

View of Mt. Massive from the mining area.

Historic miners’ watering spots on Leadville’s notorious 2^nd Street.

(Photo Credits: Johnny Johnsson and Mike Kaas.)