Russell Gulch, Colorado

Russell Gulch, Colorado, is a former mining town, now largely a ghost town, in Gilpin County, Colorado, United States. Although the population was once much larger than today, and most of the larger commercial buildings stand empty, the town is not completely deserted.

History

USCensusPop
1860=479
1880=543
1890=673
1900=728
1910=654
1930=75

William Greeneberry Russell, a miner from the gold fields of northern Georgia, had come to the vicinity of present-day Denver, then part of western Kansas Territory, in 1858. In early 1859, he was drawn to the mountains by the discovery of gold in nearby Gregory Gulch. Russell discovered placer gold deposits in June 1859 in the valley that was soon named Russell Gulch in his honor. By the end of September, 891 men were mining gold in the gulch, and the eponymous town was built near the head of the gulch to serve the miners. [Ovando J. Hollister, "The Mines of Colorado", originally published 1867, reprinted New York: Promontory Press, 1974, p.71-72.] The placer deposits were quickly worked out, and work shifted to the vein deposits that were the source of the placer gold.

Geography

Russell Gulch is located about two miles southwest of Central City, Colorado, at coor dms|39|46|43|N|105|32|13|W|city, at an altitude of 9150 feet (2789 m) above mean sea level.

ee also

* Gold mining in Colorado
* List of ghost towns in Colorado
* Pike's Peak Gold Rush

References

External links

* [http://www.rockymountainprofiles.com/russell_gulch_colorado.htm Rocky Mountain Profiles: "Russell Gulch Colorado ghost town"]
* [http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/co/russellgulch.html Ghost Towns.com: "Russell Gulch"]
* [http://www.gilpincountynews.com/20051013/mines_of_russell_gulch.htm Gilpin County News: "Mines of Russell Gulch"]