27.12.2023 (19:58:37)
Mary McKinney Mine, Anaconda & Gold Hill as Seen From North Slope Guyot Hill
Unknown
To me this view is informative and nice, even if it sadly is quite faded as bought photograph. Thankfully, I been able to work around most of that and got some details better visible. Dating this image is helped by not only the showing of the Low Line grade running alongside Gold Hill, but also with the mainline Short Line higher up on same hill. The Short Line grade date this photographed to be after March 23, 1901, as that is the date of the last spike ceremony in the Cripple Creek yard. Also, the showing of the town of Anaconda says this is before the 1904 fire that wiped out most of town. But, using the high-resolution scan at 2400dpi, I also see trolly poles along the old tight balloon loop below the Anchoria-Leland shafthouse, and with the lack of poles along the Short Line mainline, dating this to be before September 1903; as by middle of that month, the original High Line was closed and trolley cars ran over the Short Line mainline partly seen in this view. All this gives a max of 2.5-year span for when someone unknown photographed this image.
The photographer stood on the northern slope of Guyot Hill, looking towards the Anchoria-Leland mine on western slope of Gold Hill, that mine is seen against the sky about 1/3 in from right-hand side. Just to the right of the large shafthouse of the Anchoria-Leland, the Lexington Orehouse and trestle connecting it to the mine surface building are seen. Slightly lower on what is southern slope of Gold Hill, another long shafthouse are seen, with a high smokestack, sadly for me, I have not been able to pinpoint if this is yet another shaft on the Gold King lode claim, or part of the Tom Gough lode claim, as the maps I have access to at the time of this writing (Dec. 27, 2023) gives me no definite answer to share here.
In fact, this photo has many smaller workings on this side of Gold Hill shown, many small dumps, smaller structures, and a nightmare to ID all of them at this time, but interesting for me to have, as this photo comes close to what the old 1903ish topomap from USGS shows.
Further to the right and lower on the hill is seen most of, but where another slope is hiding lower parts of the structures, we see the surface structures belonging to the E. Porter Gold King operations on the east end of the Gold King lode, that is seen about 1/5 in from right-hand side and about 1/5 down from top side.
Going down the hill about 1/5 in from right-hand side, about 2/6 from top, there is a small structure showing on what I think of as the east end of the Superior lode claim, but again, there are so many claims and holes in the ground that it is hard to track it all.
About 1/3 down from top alongside the right-hand side, there are more mine operations seen just below the Low Line grade, which seems to be various lessees on Mary McKinney ground. One is known as Howard shaft, both on the 1903ish topomap and the 1906 USGS Principal Underground Workings map.
Further left, about 1/3 in from right-hand side and about 3/7 down from top are the Virginia M. mine structures; a hoisthouse and a head/gallows-frame, where one of the posts is perfectly extended up from the pole on top of the Mary McKinney shafthouse. Further to the right again seems to be the location of an open cut in the ground that has appeared on some images about the Anaconda Mine/Tunnel operations, there are two dark spots on top of each other with a small dump in front of the lower hole, just above the Midland Terminal cut into the hillside.
The M.T. depot structure is shown just to the left of the prominent fir tree at almost edge right-hand side, and the town of Anaconda is stretching down Squaw Gulch at left.
About dead center of the image is the Florence & Cripple Creek Station structure, with a large orebin across the track tucked in between various cribbed walls, and the larger and still standing in the 1950's – but alas gone by time I visited area in 1998 – orehouse of the Anaconda Mine. The old Blacksmith shop structure of the Anaconda, which survived at that location till the Open Pit Mining Company of modern times could destroy this area as well, in the hunt for gold and other minerals to earn money.
The Mary McKinney large shafthouse and orehouse in combination are seen in foreground right, with the town of Anaconda spreading out in the gulch below it at left and right. A 3-passenger car F. & C. C. train is coming into Anaconda station, enroute to Florence. The hillside below and above that train has adit mines seen spotted here and there.
In the gulch about center right-left in the upper half of the image, there is a head/gallows-frame and a small hoisthouse seen just to the left of the road about 2/5 down from top, that is the marked Superior Shaft on the 1903ish topomap, while only the dump area is seen of the marked Fauntleroy shaft of same topomap is seen behind a tree in the gulch and another shaft on the Little Fauntleroy lode claim is seen with its large smokestack, hoist-and work house connected to a head/gallows-frame closer to the M.T. mainline, these surface structures are clearly seen in the photo, encircled by a road and with a dump area towards the M.T. low trestle.
Further up the before mention gulch, just below the Low Line, about 1/3 down from top and almost at center sideways is the shafthouse of the Alamo mine, also marked on the 1903ish topomap. Further to the left, across the gulch from that mine, is a large tent town I have no idea what was there for, I count 5 large house formed tents in a row, then a large in form of long row butted together end to end, before a single tent ends/closing the 'town' at the lower butt-end of this flatter ground. Lots of smaller dumps say there have been lot of exploring here but lack of structures tells the story of not striking rich.
Up on Gold Hill again, above the Low Line roadbed, there is seen a structure at the Hillside mine, has the looks of a hoisthouse, but I fail to see a visible headframe, so it is most likely a shafthouse covering an incline shaft as per 1906 USGS Principal Underground Workings map. This claim, the Hill Side lode, had a whopping 11-Shafts and 2-Cuts marked out on its 2.41 Acres large Plat Map dated February 15, 1899! That map also had an Engine House structure showing just to the left of where the working shaft of 1906 is and that is also near/at the location of a marking on the 1903ish topomap of a mine here.
Moving up on Gold Hill against the sky and a bit more to the right, another narrow but high shafthouse is poking into the sky, this is the shafthouse of the Lillian Leland lode claim, hard to tell if it is the one on the Discovery Shaft or to the east of that, as while the Plat Map of that lode has only the Discovery Shaft marked, the 1903ish topomap has two more shaft markings on it, so which of those three the shafthouse is on, I do not know.
Moving back down the southwest slope of Gold Hill to below the Short Line mainline again, there is visible a smaller structure among the dumps, but at this time I struggle too much figuring out which lode claim this is at, I think it is on the Moonlight lode, but it could also be on the Robert E. Lee lode, so, I leave this for later.
I started my text description with the location of the photographer, and I think he, most likely a he, was at the ore case/bin of the Ross lease on the Republic lode of the Mary McKinney company, as the 1906 USGS Principal Underground Workings map has a shaft marked named Ross, and it falls on the named lode claim, and the 1903ish topomap has some mine markings and a road there, which also the foreground of the photo shows in lower left.

I did procure the colored version of this image, if that is what you see, as I think it is nicer. Source is gray-toned, or in common speech black & white. Used an online service and tweaked and worked with image to get what looks best to my eyes for the moment.
My Collection; Photographs.

• My Website: ⊞ Mary McKinney Mine, Anaconda & Gold Hill as Seen From North Slope Guyot Hill
• My Website; Cropped Photolink: ⊞ Mary McKinney Mine, Anaconda & Gold Hill as Seen From North Slope Guyot Hill [Enhanced; Colored]

P-04751
Photograph/Image [#545]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#54528.09.2022 (11:51:48)
Anaconda A Mining Town In the Cripple Creek Dist.
Unknown
This is a GREAT view I JUST had to GET!!! Hopefully this is made of better paper than my 2012 edition of this card, as on that one, lots of small sort of bubbles and scan not so sharp and well. In addition there was alot of reflections in it, and, the image is way dark and do not enhance very well.
But, for the view it shows, and the areas I can see it sure beats having no such view at all!! :-)
And, this is still the first image I ever seen showing what I believe is the Anaconda Mill up on Gold Hill above the Low Line grade between the Anchoria-Leland and the Mary McKinney mine in this view!
My Collection; Postcards.

• My Website; Postcards Overview: ⊞ Anaconda A Mining Town In the Cripple Creek Dist.
• My Website; Cropped Postcard View: ⊞ Gold Hill View with Anaconda Mill & Several Mines {Enhanced, Cropped & Colored; 1200dpi}
• My Website; Cropped Postcard View: ⊞ Anaconda Mill on Gold Hill {Enhanced, Cropped & Colored; 2400dpi}

P-03319
Photograph/Image [#490]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#49028.09.2022 (10:45:16)
#574; Mary McKinney Mine, Cripple Creek District
Julia Skolas
I've seen this image used three times, for this card and another postcard where there are a couple of extra millimeters visible on the right-hand side, plus I've seen it used in a postcard folder.
The view is from the railroad side of the Mary McKinney mine, showing several box cars parked on sidings nearby and at the mine itself. It also shows part of Anaconda at right-hand side about 1/3 up from bottom, the part that survived the 1904 fire, as I see no signs of structures at left side of image, and I believe there should been visible something there if the town was still there.
The tracks in the foreground belong to the Midland Terminal, but the Mary McKinney mine was once served by dual gauge as the F. & C.C was also having a spur to the mine, entering in from left-hand side, running parallel with the Shaft House to serve that and the coal bins at the power plant seen with all those smokestacks to the right of the shaft-house.
Behind the smokestacks of the Power House of the Mary McKinney you can see the Ore House of the Anaconda Mine, located down by the F. & C.C. yard in Anaconda, but image is too bad to really make out any details. Which is sad, as up on Gold Hill seen in the background, there is seen the Shaft House of the Anchoria-Leland about 1/4 in from right-hand side and about same from top, with the Ore-House and trestle of the Lexington Mine seen just to the right of the Anchoria-Leland.
Or even more sad, there is visible a mill on the hill side above the Low Line grade, seen about 1/3 down from top and 1/7 in from right-hand side, a mill I believe might be known as Anaconda Mill, but I might be mistaken where that mill was located as info been a little scarce, but it fit the location of west slope Gold Hill.
My Collection; Postcards.

• no. 4; Souvenir Postcard Folder called VICTOR and CRIPPLE CREEK DISTRICT Souvenir Folder - "Greatest Gold Camp on Earth" - Published in ????.
• Postcard; Published by H.H.T. Co.; Numbered 574, titled Mary McKinney Mine, Victor, Colorado - Published in ????.

• My Website: ⊞ Postcards Overview; #574; Mary McKinney Mine, Cripple Creek District
• My Website: ⊞ Album Page View (VICTOR and CRIPPLE CREEK DISTRICT Souvenir Folder)

P-00469
Photograph/Image [#279]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#27917.11.2021 (18:40:36)
Anaconda Lode in Andesite Dike
Unknown [07.1897]
  This is from a photograph of the Anaconda lode as seen in an open-cut in July, 1897. The lode at this place forms a part of an andesite dike traversing the breccia. The dike exhibits a multiplication of fractures parallel to its walls, and along these lines of cleavage there occur seams of quartz and fluorite carrying tellurides.
  In the surface workings, the gold liberated from the tellurides occurred pseudomorphic after sylvanite, distributed in yellow patches amid purple fluorite, affording specimens of great beauty.
From an article about Lodes of Cripple Creek found on page 180 of the The Engineering & Mining Journal, Jan. 31, 1903 issue.

• Page 180; The Engineering and Mining Journal, January 31, 1903 issue - Published in 1903.

• My Website; Photolink: ⊞ Anaconda Lode in Andesite Dike [colored; 960 X 1560 pixels]

I-01765
Photograph/Image [#348]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#34817.11.2021 (18:38:32)
Scene at the Anaconda Mine in Squaw Gulch with an Ore Bin and an Ore House Seen in Foreground.
Unknown
Due to the visibility of the Low Line grade in the background, about 1/4 down from the top on the right and 1/7 on the left side of this image, this dates to 1900 or later. It is an interesting view as it shows an ore bin in front with a car along the F. & C.C. spotted under it, also boxcars alongside the ore house are seen in this view. Quite a good look at the Anaconda mine structures as well, and in background right part of upper Anaconda town is seen as well.
I did procure the colored version of this image. Source was grey-toned, or in common speech black & white. Used an online service and tweaked and worked with image to get what looks best to my eyes for the moment.
From page 48; Forgotten Men of Cripple Creek by Leslie Doyle Spell. I did procure the colored version of this image.

• Page 48; Forgotten Men of Cripple Creek; Leslie Doyle Spell; Copyright 1959 - Published in 1959.

I-01222
Photograph/Image [#72]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#7201.08.2018 (11:43:46)
Mary McKinney Mine
Unknown
This is a great view of the massive Shaft Structure of the Mary McKinney Mine, here marked as Mary McKinney Mining Company, but one also see part of their Coal House at the right-hand side and even their Office can be glimpsed at the right-hand edge with its darker sidewall and a single window visible. Looking at the structure it has had some years to it as the roof is starting to look not that nice.
Of other things to mentioned, the Ore-House of the Anaconda Mine is visible about 1/7 in from right-hand side and about halfway up from bottom, with the until not too many years ago Blacksmith Structure partly visible behind it and covered to much by the smokestack of the Coal House of the Mary McKinney.
The Roadbed of the Midland Terminal is also just behind the Anaconda Orehouse, while the Low Line roadbed can be seen about 1/5 down from the top in upper right area. The High Line/Short Line grade up Gold Hill is also partly visible almost into the sky area, also in upper right area. In the foreground some M.T. railroad Gondola cars are visible, but the only one I feel I see number off is the one most to the left which is numbered 171, which appeared quite nice on my 1200dpi scan.
My Collection; Postcards.

• My Website; Postcards Overview: ⊞ Mary McKinney Mine
• My Website; Cropped Postcard View: ⊞ Mary McKinney Mine {Enhanced, Straightened & Cropped; 1200dpi}

P-03770
Photograph/Image [#342]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#34203.04.2018 (22:49:07)
Mary McKinney Mine, Cripple Creek, Colo.
Unknown
This is not the best view of this area, due to the print type of process behind this postcard. It will never scan well and details are lost to the dots making up the image. But, it does show yet another image that at least at one time did exist out there as a negative, with several mines visible. Also, we see what appears to still be left standing two structures down in what once was the town of Anaconda – seen about center nearly at bottom edge – one with a false front type towards left.
* In the foreground, along bottom part, is structures belonging to the Anaconda Mine, I think the long surviving Blacksmith shed is the one at lower right-hand corner.
* The Mary McKinney Mine is seen about 1/3 down from top and covers about the left part of this image, from center where the large/massive Shaft House is seen with its big dump and large crib-wall down towards the road that used to be the F. & C.C. roadbed.
* The Katinka Mine, often seen named as the Chicken Hawk Mine – even if most of the Chicken Hawk claim is as far as I can tell on the other side of Guyot Hill – is seen about 1/3 in from right-hand side quite near top of the card with the top of Guyot Hill behind it. It possible may also lay on another claim, but at time of writing [29.05.2017] I just go with what my old USGS map with numbered mines on them gives me of info, one day I may learn more/better info and will fix it then.
* Not sure what mining operation is seen above the Mary McKinney and to the left of the Katinka, may be same mine operation, some other mine, so, for time being, I just leave it be.
My Collection; Postcards.

• Postcard; Published by Auburn Post Card Manufacturing Company; titled Mary McKinney Mine, Cripple Creek, Colo. - Published in ????.

• My Website: ⊞ Postcards Overview; Mary McKinney Mine, Cripple Creek, Colo.

P-03174
Photograph/Image [#194]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#19404.10.2017 (11:11:56)
A View at the Ore House at the Anaconda Mine, Along the Cripple Creek Road to Victor, Colorado
Jim/James Dunn [1968]
This is a nice view, and I found it quite amazing to see that even by 1968 these mine structures, ore houses and such of the Anaconda Mine was still standing, but 40 more years passing by and none is left except Blacksmith when I did visit the area, and now that too had to yield for the open pit mine...
The Road in front of the Ore-House was the former F. & C.C. roadbed, which turned into a road when that railroad was gone, and which was later the main road between Victor and Cripple Creek towns, but today all this is gone, road and everything.
Closest to the road is the Anaconda mine Orehouse, with the Blacksmith and its cupola visible behind it, and to the right is what appears to be a tunnel opening and a shed like structure. Behind the structures is the former roadbed of the Midland Terminal seen, coming from left-hand side on a small fill, and entering a cut behind the shed/possible powerplant structure, before leaving the image at the right-hand side, all this at about middle top/down.
My Collection; Slides; 1200dpi scan of image part only.

• My Website: ⊞ Cropped View to Show Anaconda Mine Structures Only

S-00059
Photograph/Image [#246]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#24625.02.2017 (11:19:12)
Anaconda / Barry With School House in Front and Part of Hartzell Mill
Unknown
This view from an unmarked Stereoview is showing the town of Anaconda with the School House and part of the Hartzell Mill in the foreground left. In the background is Gold hill and some of its mines, while the town itself is located near the Anaconda mine. Anaconda mine is about 1/3 down from the top and about middle-of-view in the left/right direction. About halfway up on the left side is the Ore-house of the Blue Bell mine just above the school house cupola.
My Collection; Stereoviews
S-00032
Photograph/Image [#53]
www.cripplecreekrailroads.com/01main/all_known_entities/pics_list-evry1_sort-newtop.php#53

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