Ute-Ulay

Ute-Ulay. . , As the primary impetus of Lake City's initial boom and the mainstay of its survival through the mid-1900s, the Ute-Ulay Mine and Mill Complex is linked to Hinsdale's county seat and only incorporated town emotionally and irrevocably. Architecture preserved in Lake City's historic district harkens back to a time when miners came to town to spend their earnings, and mine owners, merchants and artisans worshipped, entertained, and plied their wares. The new production from the Ute Ulay initiated the tipping point which finally brought the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad to Lake City in 1889. With the procession of owners who believed and invested in its possibilities, the mine and mill operation became the benchmark for resilience and the embodiment of Hinsdale County's character and promise., Combining efforts saved one of the most intact, historical mining communities in Colorado. A partnership consisting of local government, a private mining company, nonprofit organizations, and state and federal agencies are transforming the Ute and Ulay mines, mill complex and surrounding Henson town site into a heritage tourism destination. Unique in its ability to educate and highlight the energy that drove decades of Southwest Colorado's "San Juan Excitement"; the Ute-Ulay not only provides a glimpse of our pioneer past, but a clue to the promising future of the Shining Mountains., Timeline , August 1871 - Parallel veins of silver and lead ore are discovered by Henry Henson, J.K. Mullin, Albert Mead, and Charles Godwin while trespassing on Ute land. The "illegal" claims are promptly christened "Ute" for the land's owners and "Ulay" or "Ule", spellings reflecting Ute pronunciation of Ouray, the Ute leader. , 1873 Utes cede the San Juan Mountain mining area to the United States under terms of the Brunot Agreement (Treaty). , 1874 - Henson, Mullin, Mead and Godwin re-stake ownership claims to the Ute and Ulay lodes and to lands surrounding the two veins. , 1876 - Crooke Mining and Smelting Company purchased the Ute-Ulay for a record $125,000. The sale amount beckoned Lake City's emergence as a mining center in the San Juans. , January 30, 1879 - The Ute-Ulay becomes the first patented mining claims in Hinsdale County. , 1874-1903 - Production of more than $12 million worth of gold, silver, lead, copper, and zinc - a $280 million-plus modern day valuation - establishes the key role the Ute Ulay played in spurring regional development and powering Lake City's economy for decades. , 1903-1984 - Operations are sporadic. The most significant improvements occurred between 1925 and 1930 when a steam power plant, machine shop, locomotive house, concrete dam, and mill added. , 2012 - The Town Site is conveyed to Hinsdale County by LKA Gold Incorporated. Stabilization and preservation efforts begin. , 2013 - The Ute-Ulay Mill and Mine Site is donated to Hinsdale County, completing a transfer of 12 acres, including the original boarding house, blacksmith shop, headframe, assay lab, powerhouse and mill buildings. Some of these structures date back to the late 1800s, when 250-300 miners worked the rich galena (silver) veins. , Present and Future - From treasure chest to treasured place, the Ute Ulay is the "Mine that Made and will Continue to Make Lake City.", Captions , 1. Miners at the Ute-Ulay Mine, circa 1900. , -Photo courtesy of Hinsdale County Historical Society, 2. "The first patented mining claim in Hinsdale County...one of the largest, historic producers of silver and lead in Colorado... the greatest influence on the economy and existence of the historic town located 3-miles upstream ... the Ute Ulay is the Mine. , - Lake City Times, 1899, 3. The dam and water flume provided water needed to operate the Ute-Ulay Mill, circa 1900. , -Photo courtesy of Hinsdale County Historical Society , Thank you for your time, vision and financial support to protect, stabilize and restore the Ute-Ulay.