Oro Fino
Denmark
Deldosso
Silver Queen
Enderman
In 1892, gold was discovered on Comanche Creek in what is now the Valle Vidal unit of the Carson National Forest. At the time, the area was owned by the Freehold Land and Emigration Company, a Dutch investment group which had purchased the Costilla Estate, the southern half of the Sangre de Christo Land Grant. Within a year of the gold discovery, hundreds of miners and prospectors had descended on the region, the town of La Belle had been formed, and a number of mines and claims had been established throughout the area. A few prospectors traveled west over the mountain ridge and came down into the headwaters of Bitter Creek. Here they were on govenament land and did not have to pay the filing fees, survey deposits, and charges for deeds - all required by the Freehold Company.
Along Bitter Creek several mines were opened and the town of Anchor was established, situated at 9,600 feet elevation. The new citizens of Anchor then met and voted to create the Keystone Mining District.
It wasn't long before a few prospectors had ventured further west a half mile, and begun to file claims. M. K. Long and two partners opened the Midnight Mine, which quickly became the lead property in the new area. Other claims included the Raven, Lillian Group, Ophir, Jumbo, and Republican. A town site was soon organized, located just below and west of the Midnight. Lots were sold, cabins built, and the new community of Midnight City began to grow.
In 1996, C. C. Cotton, who had acquired the rights to the Midnight property, leased the mine to a group of Chicago investors. These new owners soon raised a considerable amount of money which quickly went into the operation. Cotton was retained as superintendent and fifteen men were hired to work the tunnel. A steam hoist was ordered, a shaft house was built, and by early in the next year, the main shaft had reached a depth of 175 feet. Ore recovered at this level was assayed at $35 a ton; thusly encouraged, the new owners decided to erect a mill at the mine. The equipment was ordered along with a large pump, steam plant, crushers, concentrators, ore cans, and tools. While awaiting the slow delivery of all these items, work was underway to construct the mill building.
This activity spurred further optimism and growth in the town of Midnight. By the summer of 1897, the community boasted of two hundred citizens and was the center of the Keystone District. There was now a hotel, general store, bunkhouse, saloon, and a school. Triweekly stage connections to the railhead at Catskill led to an influx of visitors and soon there was a new road to La Belle.
The Midnight Mine continued to produce a modest amount of ore, but the next year the owners began to bicker among themselves about the future operation of the mine. The upshot of all this was a decision to lease the Midnight to an outsider. A man named Ike Anderson took over the running of the mine and several months later was employing ten miners. However, the ore became rather spotty and finally the rich vein gave out altogether. Anderson chose not to renew his lease and the owners subsequently closed the Midnight. By 1900, the town of Midnight was almost deserted.
Through the years, efforts were made to revive the mine, but without success.
Town of Midnight
Midnight Buildings
Shaft at Midnight
Midnight Shaft
Midnight Tailings
