Re: Along The Gilpin Tramway - The Wood Mine.
Posted by Keith Pashina on Mar 15, 2025; 5:34pm
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Along-The-Gilpin-Tramway-A-Closer-Look-tp20380p20569.html
TRACKAGE ALONG GUNNELL HILL (continued)
An enlargement of the USGS 1917 “Special” map shows some details of the mines and track on Gunnell Hill.
The Grand Army mine in its glory years. You can see the ore loading spur to the left of the mine, in front of the retaining wall. There is a grade above and behind the mine for coal unloading, and to feed the tail track for empties, which were then dropped by gravity under the mine loading (the lean-to on the right side of the building). An enlargement of a the Denver Public Library, Western History Collection.
M.P. 41.00 Grand Army Mine Shafthouse:
At the mine, the track ran beneath a covered ore loading track that dumped ore into cars from small side-loading bins. There were probably two tracks here, as the grade is relatively wide here, and study of old photos suggests there was a short spur here.
Today the Grand Army Mine is derelict, but it is an impressive ruin. The rear and side walls are constructed of the typical Gilpin County style rubble stone, and are about 2’ thick. Much of the roof framing still stands, some still covered by corrugated metal roofing sheets.
The first shipment of ore was from the Grand Army mine, on December 14, 1887, from the Grand Army shaft at the Gunnell to the Meade Mill of William Fullerton.
The Grand Army Mine was operated jointly with the Gunnell Mine and Concrete Mines (after the Gunnell Mine owners prevailed in a lawsuit). I always wondered if they took ore out of all three shafts after that, or just one or two - I've never seen any records to confirm either way.
There are paper records of this mine shipping on the Gilpin Tram from 1887 to 1904. In 1904, a pump house fire destroyed the pumps, and parts of the mine filled with water, halting operations. This shaft was 1,200-feet deep and operated as late as 1917. Although mining resumed in this mine in later years, the ore was hauled out through the Newhouse/Argo Tunnel, and this was after the Gilpin Tram was abandoned.
About 25 years ago, the wooden enclosure over the ore loading track mostly collapsed – the top level likely contained a machine shop. Extensive wood cribbing lines both side of the ore loading track, and was needed to hold back the mountainside above, and the large waste rock dump on the downhill side.
The Grand Army mine in the 1960s or 1970s. The mine is in much better condition compared to today – the roof is still mostly in place, and the lean-to addition at front (which extended over the Gilpin Tram tracks for ore loading) is still standing. This image is from the Mike Pyne collection.
A view of the Grand Army Mine looking across Prosser Gulch, southward. This mine has an extensive waste rock dump. The Gunnell Mine can be seen near the left margin. Photo provided courtesy of the Mark Baldwin collection.
A colorful view of the Grand Army waste rock dump, from approximately the same viewpoint as in the previous photo.
Taken about 15 years ago, we see that most of the roof has collapsed, and the shed covering the ore loading tracks has collapsed. The wood debris is the collapsed remains of the ore loading shed, and is also partially washed in from the waste rock pile. A fair amount of the mine building stands today, thanks to the very sturdy stone walls and robust roof framing and headframe construction. In the photo, I can see Dan Abbott, Darel Leedy, Joe Crea and Lind Wickersham taking a break and discussing all things Gilpin -those were great days!
A view from the opposite (west) sideof the Grand Army mine. This photo taken about 1993, and the structure was in much better condition back then. Notice the magnficant stone work on the walls.
The Gilpin Tram loaded ore from small bins under a shed-like addition on the north side of the Grand Army mine.
On the south side of the Grand Army mine, we see how the rear of the shaft-house is built into the hillside. I am standing about on the upper Gilpin Tram spur grade. The tram pushed empty cars up this spur to a switchback, and then dropped by grade through the ore loading bins. Photo taken about 1993.
The Gilpin Tram also parked coal cars on the spur, and unloaded coal into the boilers below, through the large doorway opening in the stone wall.
A short, but safe distance from the Grand Army shaft house is this A-frame powder storage shed, used to store explosives.
This is an enlargement of Denver Public Library, Western History Collection Image L-237. In the background of this photo, the photographer captured the mines of Gunnell Hill. Although the image has a compressed, telephoto-like effect, it does illustrate how compact this mining district was. The Grand Central Mine is front center, with the Gunnell Mine immediately behind it.
Another great enlargement showing the Gunnell Hill mines grouped together. This is from Denver Public Library, Western History Collection Image L-68. The Grand CentraL Mine is again at front center, with the Grand Army to its upper left and the Whiting Mine further to the left. The Gunnell Mine is at right center, with its three smokestacks.
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Along-The-Gilpin-Tramway-A-Closer-Look-tp20380p20569.html
TRACKAGE ALONG GUNNELL HILL (continued)
An enlargement of the USGS 1917 “Special” map shows some details of the mines and track on Gunnell Hill.
The Grand Army mine in its glory years. You can see the ore loading spur to the left of the mine, in front of the retaining wall. There is a grade above and behind the mine for coal unloading, and to feed the tail track for empties, which were then dropped by gravity under the mine loading (the lean-to on the right side of the building). An enlargement of a the Denver Public Library, Western History Collection.
M.P. 41.00 Grand Army Mine Shafthouse:
At the mine, the track ran beneath a covered ore loading track that dumped ore into cars from small side-loading bins. There were probably two tracks here, as the grade is relatively wide here, and study of old photos suggests there was a short spur here.
Today the Grand Army Mine is derelict, but it is an impressive ruin. The rear and side walls are constructed of the typical Gilpin County style rubble stone, and are about 2’ thick. Much of the roof framing still stands, some still covered by corrugated metal roofing sheets.
The first shipment of ore was from the Grand Army mine, on December 14, 1887, from the Grand Army shaft at the Gunnell to the Meade Mill of William Fullerton.
The Grand Army Mine was operated jointly with the Gunnell Mine and Concrete Mines (after the Gunnell Mine owners prevailed in a lawsuit). I always wondered if they took ore out of all three shafts after that, or just one or two - I've never seen any records to confirm either way.
There are paper records of this mine shipping on the Gilpin Tram from 1887 to 1904. In 1904, a pump house fire destroyed the pumps, and parts of the mine filled with water, halting operations. This shaft was 1,200-feet deep and operated as late as 1917. Although mining resumed in this mine in later years, the ore was hauled out through the Newhouse/Argo Tunnel, and this was after the Gilpin Tram was abandoned.
About 25 years ago, the wooden enclosure over the ore loading track mostly collapsed – the top level likely contained a machine shop. Extensive wood cribbing lines both side of the ore loading track, and was needed to hold back the mountainside above, and the large waste rock dump on the downhill side.
The Grand Army mine in the 1960s or 1970s. The mine is in much better condition compared to today – the roof is still mostly in place, and the lean-to addition at front (which extended over the Gilpin Tram tracks for ore loading) is still standing. This image is from the Mike Pyne collection.
A view of the Grand Army Mine looking across Prosser Gulch, southward. This mine has an extensive waste rock dump. The Gunnell Mine can be seen near the left margin. Photo provided courtesy of the Mark Baldwin collection.
A colorful view of the Grand Army waste rock dump, from approximately the same viewpoint as in the previous photo.
Taken about 15 years ago, we see that most of the roof has collapsed, and the shed covering the ore loading tracks has collapsed. The wood debris is the collapsed remains of the ore loading shed, and is also partially washed in from the waste rock pile. A fair amount of the mine building stands today, thanks to the very sturdy stone walls and robust roof framing and headframe construction. In the photo, I can see Dan Abbott, Darel Leedy, Joe Crea and Lind Wickersham taking a break and discussing all things Gilpin -those were great days!
A view from the opposite (west) sideof the Grand Army mine. This photo taken about 1993, and the structure was in much better condition back then. Notice the magnficant stone work on the walls.
The Gilpin Tram loaded ore from small bins under a shed-like addition on the north side of the Grand Army mine.
On the south side of the Grand Army mine, we see how the rear of the shaft-house is built into the hillside. I am standing about on the upper Gilpin Tram spur grade. The tram pushed empty cars up this spur to a switchback, and then dropped by grade through the ore loading bins. Photo taken about 1993.
The Gilpin Tram also parked coal cars on the spur, and unloaded coal into the boilers below, through the large doorway opening in the stone wall.
A short, but safe distance from the Grand Army shaft house is this A-frame powder storage shed, used to store explosives.
This is an enlargement of Denver Public Library, Western History Collection Image L-237. In the background of this photo, the photographer captured the mines of Gunnell Hill. Although the image has a compressed, telephoto-like effect, it does illustrate how compact this mining district was. The Grand Central Mine is front center, with the Gunnell Mine immediately behind it.
Another great enlargement showing the Gunnell Hill mines grouped together. This is from Denver Public Library, Western History Collection Image L-68. The Grand CentraL Mine is again at front center, with the Grand Army to its upper left and the Whiting Mine further to the left. The Gunnell Mine is at right center, with its three smokestacks.
Keith Pashina
Narrow-minded in Arizona
Narrow-minded in Arizona
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