Near Durango in La Plata County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Pinkerton Hot Springs

Photographed By James Hulse, July 6, 2021

1. Pinkerton Hot Springs Marker

Inscription.

Pinkerton Hot Springs. . , Even though this land was Ute territory, the upper Animas River Valley was first settled by prospectors in the spring of 1860. Charles Baker, returning from the mines north of Silverton, established "Old Animas City" and built the first bridge across the Animas River. The community lasted less than a year before it was abandoned., During the summer of 1875, James Harvey Pinkerton settled in the area now known as Pinkerton Hot Springs. He raised dairy cows with his wife, three sons, and four daughters. Throughout the year they produced and sold dairy products in mining camps in the San Juan Mountains. In the spring of 1876 they sold 116 pounds of butter for a dollar a pound to the miners north of Silverton., Geothermal Hot Springs , Hot springs throughout the San Juan Mountains, like Pinkerton Hot Springs, are fed by ground water that percolates downward through the earth. As it descends. the water comes in contact with magma (hot mineralized rocks) deep within the earth. The heated water then rises and returns to the surface in the form of hot springs., Sidebar , "Pinkerton has a fine ranch. ...Upon it are several fine, warm mineral springs, particularly soda, near the larger of which he has erected an extensive bath house, furnishing delightful baths for the use of his family and guests." , ~ The Silver World, September 14, 1878, Captions , 1. Judge James Harvey and Ann Eliza Pinkerton. James Pinkerton became a La Plata County judge in the late 1870s, before moving to Georgia. , - Photo courtesy of Frank Pinkerton , 2. Pinkerton-in-the-Pines Resort offered swimming, music, and dancing in the 1920s. , - Photo courtesy of Frank Pinkerton , 3. The Pinkerton Ranch, painted by Emil Fischer in 1881. Note the stage coach and the pack train on the old wagon road. Judge Pinkerton used many of the log structures from "Old Animas City" on his ranch. One log building became the school for local children. , - Photo courtesy of Frank Pinkerton , 4. The soda water from Pinkerton Hot Springs promised to cure all diseases. The water was bottled and graced many a Durango table in 1892. . This historical marker was erected by Colorado Department of Transportation - San Juan Skyway. It is Near Durango in La Plata County Colorado

Even though this land was Ute territory, the upper Animas River Valley was first settled by prospectors in the spring of 1860. Charles Baker, returning from the mines north of Silverton, established "Old Animas City" and built the first bridge across the Animas River. The community lasted less than a year before it was abandoned.

During the summer of 1875, James Harvey Pinkerton settled in the area now known as Pinkerton Hot Springs. He raised dairy cows with his wife, three sons, and four daughters. Throughout the year they produced and sold dairy products in mining camps in the San Juan Mountains. In the spring of 1876 they sold 116 pounds of butter for a dollar a pound to the miners north of Silverton.

Geothermal Hot Springs
Hot springs throughout the San Juan Mountains, like Pinkerton Hot Springs, are fed by ground water that percolates downward through the earth. As it descends. the water comes in contact with magma (hot mineralized rocks) deep within the earth. The heated water then rises and returns to the surface in the form of hot springs.

Sidebar
"Pinkerton has a fine ranch.

The Pinkerton Hot Springs and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, July 6, 2021

2. The Pinkerton Hot Springs and Marker

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...Upon it are several fine, warm mineral springs, particularly soda, near the larger of which he has erected an extensive bath house, furnishing delightful baths for the use of his family and guests."
~ The Silver World, September 14, 1878

Captions
1. Judge James Harvey and Ann Eliza Pinkerton. James Pinkerton became a La Plata County judge in the late 1870s, before moving to Georgia.
- Photo courtesy of Frank Pinkerton
2. Pinkerton-in-the-Pines Resort offered swimming, music, and dancing in the 1920s.
- Photo courtesy of Frank Pinkerton
3. The Pinkerton Ranch, painted by Emil Fischer in 1881. Note the stage coach and the pack train on the old wagon road. Judge Pinkerton used many of the log structures from "Old Animas City" on his ranch. One log building became the school for local children.
- Photo courtesy of Frank Pinkerton
4. The soda water from Pinkerton Hot Springs promised to cure all diseases. The water was bottled and graced many a Durango table in 1892.

Erected by Colorado Department of Transportation - San Juan Skyway.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1860.

Location. 37° 27.06′ N, 107° 48.322′ W. Marker

The view of the Pinkerton Hot Springs and Marker from the road image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, July 6, 2021

3. The view of the Pinkerton Hot Springs and Marker from the road

is near Durango, Colorado, in La Plata County. Marker is on U.S. 550, 0.2 miles north of Academy Drive, on the right when traveling north. The marker and Springs are located along the highway next to a small road side parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Durango CO 81301, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Baker's Bridge (approx. 0.6 miles away); La Plata County Freedom Trees (approx. 11.6 miles away); Summer of Flames (approx. 11.6 miles away); Community of Heroes (approx. 11.6 miles away); Seasons of Healing (approx. 11.6 miles away); Southern Durango with views of Smelter Mountain (approx. 12.7 miles away); Early Durango circa 1889 (approx. 12.8 miles away); Old Main Post Office Professional Building (approx. 12.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Durango.

Also see . . .
1. Hot spring.

A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circulation through faults to hot rock deep in the Earth's crust. In either case, the ultimate source of the heat is radioactive decay of naturally occurring radioactive elements in the Earth's mantle, the layer beneath the crust. Source: Wikipedia

(Submitted on July 17, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

Closeup of the Pinkerton Hot Springs image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, July 6, 2021

4. Closeup of the Pinkerton Hot Springs

2. San Juan Skyway.

If byways could claim royal lineage, this one would probably rule them all. Start with the major towns along the route - Durango, a well-preserved descendant of the Old West; picturesque Telluride, renowned for world-class skiing and film, jazz, and bluegrass festivals; and Silverton and Ouray, Victorian jewels tucked in deep alpine valleys. Add another crown - Mesa Verde National Park, home to one of the densest collections of prehistoric ruins in the U.S. - and five million acres of undisturbed national forest. Then there are the roads themselves, snaking through the woods in the shadow of impressive 14,000-foot peaks. The segment from Ouray to Silverton is called the "Million Dollar Highway." But you can't put a price tag on this experience. Source: Colorado Department of Transportation

(Submitted on July 17, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

The Pinkerton Hot Springs image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, July 6, 2021

5. The Pinkerton Hot Springs

Credits. This page was last revised on July 17, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 17, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 254 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 17, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.