The Animas River descends through the San Juan Mountains, one of the most heavily mined regions in southwestern Colorado. The river flows rich with heavy metals, and the region’s hundreds of abandoned mines are suspected sources. Future environmental clean-up may impact this historic landscape, an important foundation of the region’s heritage tourism economy.
During the late 1990s, the BLM initiated a progressive and sweeping inventory of principal historic mines, mills, and settlements. The goal was to identify historically significant sites, assemble a body of knowledge, develop management plans, and partner with local preservation interests. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act was one of the mechanisms driving the inventory.
The BLM divided the river drainage into study units and awarded several important areas to Mountain States Historical. We designed our work and report of findings for added value at no extra cost. In the field, we thoroughly documented designated sites, and included additional places for a well-rounded study. We produced reports exceeding BLM standards, for use by other regional stakeholders. In the report, we provided detailed histories and site interpretations, management recommendations, and material for site preservation. Since publication in 2002, the reports have been used for:
- Environmental cleanup guidance
- Mine closures
- Preservation projects by local stakeholders
- Heritage tourism
- Background research for the book Basins of Silver
(Photo: Silver Lake Mill archaeological site, Silverton)