ST ELMO - HISTORY OF A GHOST TOWN

Post by Doris McCraw
writing as Angela Raines

Image from Wikipedia

For many in Colorado, when you think ghost town it's St. Elmo that comes to mind. It's easy to reach, is nestled in the mountains and most of the buildings are still in pretty good shape. But what of the history of this town in Chaffee County that sits in the Sawatch Range at an elevation of almost 10,000 feet?

Although there were people in the area in 1878, the town officially started in 1880. By the end, they say, according to Colorado.com "... the population rode the last train out of town and never came back." For a brief story, the following link will give you more detail. St. Elmo

In her book 'Colorado Ghost Towns and Mining Camps", Sandra Dallas has this to say about St. Elmo, "when the Alpine tunnel was under construction, St. Elmo, as the largest town in the area was the scene of raunchy Saturday night sprees. The town was always crowded, and accommodations were scarce. An 1880 traveler recalled he and his companions "put up with the best hotel the place could afford, which was, in fact, the only one, at three dollars per day ... When we ask about a bed and a room by ourselves, the landlord told us the best he could do was to give us a bed and draw a chalk mark around us for a room."
Accommodations were more abundant later in the year when the Denver Tribune reported three hotels, five restaurants, two sawmills, and several stores."

Image from Western Mining History.com

It became big news when a hack line was started between Virginia City (Tin Cup) and St. Elmo.



Of course, you can't have a town without some controversy and in 1887 they had it when St. Elmo arranged to have the Republican Convention (county) held there.



Lest you forget, at almost 10,000 the winters could be a challenge as the following article shows.



I encourage you to learn more about this 'well-preserved' ghost town and its history. In my novel, "The Outlaw's Letter", my hero Grant travels through the area on his way to Virginia City in search of the man who can clear his name. Below is a brief excerpt:

 Even for the noon hour, the town appeared rather boisterous. Grant could hear the roar from where he stood about a half a mile away on the mountainside. "You'd think such a new town would be a bit quieter," he said as he prepared to mount up.

"You might at that mister," came a voice off to Grant's right. "Most folks come in from one of the trails."

Grant stiffened. He cursed himself for not being more vigilant instead of thinking about his wife. But then his wife wasn't like any other woman he'd ever met. "There's a trail from the East?" Grant asked to cover himself. That he was aware of such a trail was true, but he'd hope to get into Virginia City, then out with little notice.

"Mister, there's trails from the east, west, and south. Gettin' so a person can't move through these here mountains without running into some fools looking to get rich quick. You one o' them?"

"No," Grant assured the voice. "Heard of Virginia City and wondered if it was anything like the ones in Nevada and Montana? Plus, it would be the kind of town a man I grew up around would gravitate to."

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Until next time, enjoy the rest of the summer.

Doris Gardner-McCraw -

Author, Speaker, Historian-specializing in
Colorado and Women's History

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A Town in Two States

by Shanna Hatfield

The unexpected paths I traverse in the name of research for my books never ceases to amaze me.

Recently, I was digging out a stack of books to begin diving into details for my next sweet historical romance when I unearthed an old book I purchased a few years ago at a used book fundraiser.

As I flipped through it, a photo caught my eye.

TOWN OF DENIO

What you see in the image is a very tiny town in Nevada (current population less than 100) named Denio. The saloon in the photo shared the building with the town's post office, which happened to be in Oregon.

The town straddles the Nevada-Oregon line on what is now Highway 292. The post office still exists, along with a small library, a community center, and a bar.

Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, many towns popped up in boom-or-bust pursuits, such as mining. Denio was one such town.

Aaron Denio moved to the area in 1885. He was born in 1824 in Illinois and traveled to California in 1860. He worked in milling, farming, and mining. After spending time in Nevada and Idaho at places like Humboldt and Silver City, he realized the need for beef and bread to keep the miners alive and going.

He brought his family to what would become Denio and settled them into a little sod and mud hut he built then began to farm and mine. He opened a station for travels to stop. The post office was established on the Oregon side of the town in 1888 and Denio was the postmaster.

Following WWII, a number of businesses relocated south of the state line to take advantage of Nevada's lack of income tax and more liberal laws in regard to questionable enterprises such as liquor, gambling, and brothels. Eventually, the post office followed, moving to the Nevada side of the line in 1950.

Today, visitors to the area who enjoy a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities like camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, visiting a wildlife refuge, or soaking in the hot springs. It's also a great playground for rock hounds.

The geology of the area was produced by fault uplift, volcanic magma movements, and an ancient inland sea. It's been said the hills are full of opals.

The black fire opal, the official gemstone of Nevada, is found here, too.

The Royal Peacock Opal Mine, owned and operated by the Wilson family since 1944 just south of Denio, is open to the public for pay-to-dig exploration and gem hunting.

What about you? Do you know of any little towns that straddle a state line? 

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes. When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

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