It doesn't matter in what direction you go out of this little town... if you are looking for an old mine. They can be found in all directions . Gold and silver mines were springing up everywhere in the later part of the nineteenth century around here, matter of fact there is still a working gold mine here.
click on photo to enlarge
The public is strongly advised not to enter old mine shafts, as they can be unstable and even contain poisonous gases.
They are also ask not to collect souvenirs. Think of this sort of an outdoor museum.
I enjoy poking around these sights to see what can find. This cabin (or it's remains) was probably not one of the early cabins, because it was constructed of milled wood and not rustic logs.
This pile of rusted cans proves that there was no garbage pickup. Even the trash should be left alone. For what looks like trash, has become part of a historical sight.
Someone had piled up a collection of broken glass on this rock. The purple glass is probably from a bottle made between 1880 and 1920 when the added manganese to the glass, which turns purple when exposed to sunlight.I found a chip of pottery at this sight that had pink flowers on it, on a previous trip , also a porcelain hand of a doll and a little blue marble. Seeing these things made me realize that not just miners lived here, but their families as well.
the small toy remnants sure makes you stop and ponder their lives.
ReplyDeleteDon't think I could resist poking around to see what interesting bits and pieces I could find. I take it you have had no sight of any gold or silver though.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing just the right thing; your souvenirs are the photos!
ReplyDeleteIt's always fascinating to imagine what life was like way back then.. I sometimes wish I'd gone the archeology route!
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