![]() ![]() After collecting gold flakes from several points in the ravine descending the western side of Baldy Mountain, the promise of copper ore all but lost its sparkle. ![]() Rather than surveying the area for copper, the explorers immediately turned their attention to panning for gold. Perhaps on a whim, or simply to pass the time, one of the men tried panning in a creek near the camp they had set up. Yet the trip was worth it there appeared to be enough copper to establish a claim. With an elevation of nearly 12,441 feet, reaching the ore site was challenging. Recognizing that the beauty of the stones came from the copper ore they contained, Moore requested the Ute Indian take his soldiers to the source of the copper ore-the upper slopes of Baldy Mountain. Out of gratitude for Moore’s previous kindness, he offered Moore decorative stones. The recovered man was amongst them and he recognized Captain Moore there. Later that year, Ute Indians stopped at Fort Union to engage in trade for winter supplies. Moore had come upon a severely injured Ute Indian whom he took to Fort Union to be nursed back to health. Though accounts of what happened are varied, it seems that in 1866, a Captain William H. You wouldn’t know by looking at it, but this ghost town was once home to over 7,000 people. Resting between Red River and Eagle Nest, along the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway, lay the remains of Elizabethtown. A typical boom-and-bust mining town, Elizabethtown once drew gold miners from near and far. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |