Colorado Ghost Town Books/Maps
Gilman Colorado Townsite - Ghost town
NOTE - This is a No trespassing area for good reasons. Fairly toxic area. Photos were taken from the road.
Photos Courtesy of Ryan Sullivan-Elkins
Gilman sits on the side of a mountain, Battle Mountain. The Eagle river is about 1,200 feet below. Workers commuted up and down the 1,200 feet via railroad to get to work. Originally Rock Creek, then Battle Mountain then Clinton and finally Gilman in 1886. Because of the diversity of minerals, Silver, Gold, Zinc and Copper, this area was mined for over a century. In the early 1950s they were still shipping as much as $12 Million dollars worth of ore from this area. In 1985 the remaining residents were asked to leave due to an inadequate water supply.
A viewer writes - July 2005 - Rocky, You have a real nice web site here, stumbled across your post on Nuggetshooter.comForum. I was born and raised in one of Colorado`s newest ghost towns. Gilman, Colorado, the town sits right on top of the old Eagle mine. My father started working there in 1938 and was Mine Manager when the mine closed for good back in the 80s. The town is a total ghost town now and is located between Minturn and Redcliff. Next trip back to Minturn, I plan to do some detecting in a few of the placer locations up Homestake creek, on the Holy Cross side of the Mts. My brother who lives in Redcliff has several mine dumps picked out that contain horn silver and gold, going to run my Minelab 3000 over them. Add Gilman to your Ghost town list, it is much more a ghost town than Leadville. Jim - Kingman, Arizona
A viewer writes - Enjoyed viewing the pictures you have of Gilman. These kind of pictures always bring memories to me. I am sure if I went into the town I could hear the sounds of the town the whistle that blew at noon, so you better high tail it home becauses that was your timer your mom gave you.. "you be home when the whistle blows" Or worse yet something horrible happen in the mine. So you would stand still in your tracks and pray it wasn't your daddy or cry when it was your friends daddy. you said you didn't take any pictures other then what you could take from the road. I plan on trying to go in the town maybe in May, I don't want pictures of the rubble I want pictures of the scenery, I want to go turn my rock over and see if my necklace is still there. :) Thanks for the memories
A viewer write 8/2008 - Great Colorado site! Its too bad most of you out there haven't seen the ghost town of Gilman. It is now patrolled by security dudes for the proposed ski area considering being built there by Ginn Corporation out of Florida. There are buildings and ruins dating back to the 1870s. With some more modern homes and building that were abandoned about 1983 due to hazardous materials in ground water. We'll see if this corporation really spends the millions of dollars it will take to clean up the entire area before devolvement takes place. The best ghost town for me EVER! Contact me at dsblair@gmail.com for more info! Thanks!
A viewer writes - February 28, 2009 -
Hi! I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed
browsing your website and reading about Gilman. I lived there from 1972 through
about 1979. My son was born while I lived there (at the hospital in Glenwood
Springs) and he went to school in Redcliff. My sister hitchhiked to Colorado
from Philadelphia when my son was born and ended up working in the mill. My
former husband, my former brothers-in-law, worked in the mines (mill,
actually). We had some interesting experiences up there - including rolling my
car off the side of the mountain between Redcliff and Gilman early one winter.
We did a lot of snowshoeing, tubing, and a whole lot of fishing both at Bolts
Lake (at the bottom of the hill heading toward Minturn) and at Camp Hale
(heading toward Leadville). I worked for a short time for the Climax Mine
offices in Leadville, and for a title insurance company in Vail before I headed
back to California (where I grew up). Ah, the good old days! thanks for the
info and pictures!
An update from Pam --- I am going to e-mail this also to my sister, Kathy, who actually worked underground in Gilman. She knows and remembers quite a bit that I don't. I was the stay-at-home mom for most of my time there and she was the one who worked with the guys. In fact, in some previous info about Gilman there was a photograph of a board (chalk board or white board, I can't remember) that someone had photographed that showed her name written on it - I have tried to find that picture again and haven't been able to find it. It's just nice to know someone remembers Gilman! - Pam
A viewer writes - June 26th 2009 - I worked at Gilman as a mining engineer from 1943-1950. Three of our children were born in the hospital and one died there. We enjoyed the t bar lift at Cooperhill. The high altitude affected my wife and the co transferred us to PA. We loved Colorado and the friends we made at Gilman. Mayo Lanning cooperbird@juno.com
A viewer writes - July 2009 - Rocky, I was born in Gilman as was my brother (1950 and '51 respectively). My dad was a miner and owned the bus company in Red Cliff. He was killed in a mining accident in 1956. I have some ore samples and core drillings from the mine. Thanks for the pictures. Rich
A viewer writes August 2009 - I was reading the comments and noted that "Rick" said his dad who lived in Red Cliff and opersted a bus company was killed in the Gilman Mine in 1956. I remember this accident as I was the mine foreman. It was Dick Lucero and happened much earlier in the late 1940's as I left Gilman in October, 1950. He was taking empty cars from an incline to the 1800 level and somehow got caught in the operation. No one else was around. He was a valuable employee and his bus transportation was much appreciated by the miners who lived in Red Cliff. Mayo Lanning cooperbird@juno.come
A viewer writes Friday, December 18, 2009 - Well this was fun to read. My family moved to Gilman in 1953 & lived there until 1956. My name is Lois Trout. My step dad was Doc Hess. I have been trying to get in touch with some classmates maybe this will help. My mom was saying just last week a man had been killed in the mine while we were there. I had forgotten, but I remember Dick Lucero he was a friend of my dads. Living in Gilman as a teen was a very special experience. There is a wonder room at the mining museum in Leadville called the Gilman room. cotrout1942@comcast.net
A viewer writes - Sunday, April 11, 2010 -- My grandparents lived in Gilman when I was growing up (1960's) My grandfather worked at the mine and later taught 6th grade in Minturn. My grandmother taught 2nd grade in Redcliff, Gilman and Minturn. We used to visit Gilman regularly in the winter. I remember the deep snow and the huge icicles that used to form on the buildings there.
A viewer writes - Tuesday, March 30, 2010 -- Hi i lived in Gilman from 1974 till 1979 two of my children where born in Leadville and stayed there till 1981. I did lose all contact with my kids and their mother from 1979 until Aug 14th 2009. Now I'm back with my kids and was by Gilman and was sad to see it that way, but still have a lot of very good memories of there.
A viewer writes -
Monday, June 07, 2010 - I would love to correspond
with those of you that remember the area. I am
interested in the buildings trackside to the Rio Grande tracks. If any of you
would like to correspond with me, it would be much appreciated.
rio_rules54@yahoo.com
A viewer writes - Friday, June 25, 2010 - My dad is Paul J Mills (PJ). He was a mining engineer at the mine from 1948-1957 I think. Remember Murphy store, kindergarden teacher mrs cryann(SP), the Gautiers-teachers, bruce and scott nelson and their parents, jack skinner and his son, the mays, wilbur moran, the Liguoris, and others. Had place in beaver creek till a few years ago. Went to Minturn a lot and Leadville where I was born. Went to church at St Patricks in Minturn. Born (in the old St Vincents) and baptized in Leadville. My mom was an RN (Eleanor Mills) and dispensed medicines to the sick at all hours. Closest thing to a doctor in Gilman, I guess. My name is Ken Mills and my brothers were Johnny and Tommy. Anybody remember us, we were always in trouble- innocent fun. I am at tnrainmaker@aol.com
A viewer writes - Tuesday, July 06, 2010 - Hi Rocky Love your website I grew up in Gilman my family was one of the last family's to move It was great place to grow up we played hiding go seek in the abandoned houses there. I went to Red cliff elementary and then to Minturn Middle school. My dad Tony Romero was one of the last miners to work there.
A viewer writes - Thursday, July 08, 2010 - Hey Rocky! Thanks for all the interesting feedback on GILMAN Colorado. Lots of interesting stories from people who lived there. There was an article today in our local paper (The Vail daily) that says that they may be building on the townsite of Gilman soon. A much scaled back plan that doesn't include a golf course, etc. We will see! I would like for them to leave the area alone so I can go back and explore again! The best ghost town I have EVER explored! dsblair@gmail.com
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