Colorado Ghost Town Books/Maps
Dunton Colorado Ghost Town
Dunton Colorado
Strange history for this one, - Dunton was established in 1885. Post Office opened in 1892. Population reached perhaps 300 in the early 1900s. Emma mine was the big producer. In 1918 it was basically a Ghost town. It was purchased and resold numerous times since then. It had a life as a mining town, a cattle ranch, a dude ranch, and a biker hang out. It is now private property with a very exclusive resort. Much of the town was reconstructed and you can even sit at the bar and have a drink. Supposedly at the same bar where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid drank a few.
At least two ways to get there. One easy and one not so easy. I choose the hard way. About a half mile up a narrow 4X4 shelf road I encountered some tourists from Texas driving a big old Buick. They were trying to turn around to get back out. I sat and watched with amazement. Enjoyed the view. I should have taken a picture to give to them to demonstrate how stupid they were.
A viewer writes - Rocky - I am enclosing an attachment of information on the Emma Mine which I got from another source. It is pasted on the reverse of the Photo. The photo is of the Emma mine mills and bunkhouse. There are four people standing front of the bunkhouse which I have not had a chance to study under magnification. I found the photo years ago. I donated a replicate to the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library. I hope you appreciate it more than they seemed to. I am quite willing to give you the right to post it on your website for your enjoyment and that of others, I have some concern if it can be downloaded from the website.
I ran into your website while searching for a great uncle who in 1880 was working in a silver mine in Hinsdale County. His name was Lyman Coplen (misspelled Leman Coplen) in the 1880 census. He was a colorful character who had his thigh broken while a prisoner of war in Tyler Texas after being captured by the Confederates. Shortly after his release he was caught in the revolving shaft of a steam powered sawmill and had numerous broken bones. At 43 he was engaged in hard rock mining at high altitudes. I pick him up again about 10 years later in Ouray. One tough cookie!
Daniel Wenger
A viewer writes - April 8, 2009 - My grandfather, Leonidas Holbrook Crapo ran the pack mule train between the Emma Mine and Rico when he was a young man. Richley Crapo
Rocky says - I thought this was a joke when I received the above note. Crapo just did not sound like a real name. Then I researched just and little and found this ---
Nina Grace Rhinehart and Leonidas Holbrook Crapo
Leonidas Holbrook Crapo, my grandfather, was born in Paradise, Utah, in 1876. As a young man, Leonidas worked for the Emma mine in Dunton, Colorado. His job was running the mule train which packed supplies into the small mining settlement located at over 9,000 feet elevation in southwestern Colorado and which carried the gold from the mine to the railroad town of Rico. He married Nina Grace Rhinehart in Norwood, Colorado in 1908. Together they had five children. He died at age 78 in California.
A viewer writes - Wednesday, September 22, 2010 - smokieii@hotmail.com Hi Rocky, just came through the town of Dunton, there was a locked gate at the front. I wondered why this was, so checked on the net and found out it is a world class resort with hot springs and the works, and very pricey too.. Thanks Don R
A viewer writes - Thursday, December 08, 2011 --- Hi there! I've been researching family history for years and kept hitting dead ends with my husband's great-grandfather Robert Neil Rogers (b 1863, d 1932). That is, until last night. I found the attached document which is a transcription from a 1905 book Progressive Men of Western Colorado. The piece about R N Rogers states that he was the founder of Dunton, but my preliminary research does not support that. I am wondering if you can shed any more light on this, my most recent mystery? The other information in the piece (being Mayor of Telluride, owning a livery, marriage to Clara, daughter named Thelma) is all accurate. However, this is the first piece I have found that mentions Robert's parents, place of birth, and anything about Dunton. Thank you in advance for any information you can offer. Yours truly, Martha Burke cmgirl4416@yahoo.com
Attached document --
ROGERS, R.N.: 1905 Bio, San Miguel County, Colorado -- ttp://files.usgwarchives.org/co/sanmiguel/bios/rogersrn.txt
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Donated June 2004
Transcribed by Judy Crook <jlcrook@rof.net> from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado
Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill.
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R.N. Rogers
R.N. Rogers, mayor of Telluride, elected in 1903, brought to the discharge of his official duties a fund of worldly wisdom gathered in a wide experience among different classes of men engaged in various occupations, and has justified the confidence shown in his selection for the position by a careful and judicious management of the affairs of the town and active and intelligent efforts for its advancement and progress along lines of safe and healthy development. He has long been one of the leading men of the community, and has conducted enterprises of magnitude and great public convenience for the benefit of its people, running an extensive livery and feed barn, with complete equipment for the business, and also operating the stage lines to the Tomboy and Alta mines, and owning and developing the townsite of Dunton, where the hot springs are located. He is a pioneer of 1889 in the state, and was born and reared on Prince Edward Island, Canada, where his life began on February 28, 1863. He is the son of Griffith J. and Margaret (Neil) Rogers, who were also born and grew to maturity on that island. Mr. Rogers was educated in the schools of his native place, and reached the age of nineteen years without incident worthy of notice different from what occurs usually in the life of boys in his class and locality. In 1882 he came to Dakota and during the next four years was engaged in farming in that territory. At the end of that time he changed his base of operations to Wisconsin and his business to butchering and conducting a meat market, in which he was also occupied four years. In 1889 he came to this state and turned his attention to mining, which he followed until 1895, when he started the livery business which he is now conducting, and which he has expanded into one of considerable magnitude and conducts with vigor and enterprise, and with every consideration for the wants of his patrons. His outfit is one of the most complete in this part of the country, nothing being omitted either in the extent and variety of his rigs or the quality of his teams that is required of the most active and up-to-date establishment of the kind. In addition to this business he also owns and conducts the stage lines between the town and the Tomboy and Alta mines, with which he does a flourishing business, and finds room for his surplus capital and enterprise in developing the townsite of Dunton which he owns, and which he is pushing forward with as rapid progress as the circumstances allow. It is at this place, as has been stated, that the hot springs of southwestern Colorado are located, the curative powers of which have already attracted attention throughout a large extent of country, and which promise in time to rival in patronage and beneficial effects similar natural waters at the older resorts. In fraternal relations Mr. Rogers is connected with the Odd Fellows and the Elks. From the time of his arrival at Telluride he has been active and zealous in helping to promote the welfare of the community, serving for a number of years as a member of the city council, and since 1903 as mayor of the town, and rendering efficient and appreciated service to the people in both positions. He was married here on August 10, 1899, to Miss Clara J. Chapman, a native of this state. They have one daughter, Thelma, the only survivor of their family. No citizen of the county stands higher in the respect and good will of the people, and none is more entitled to their regard.
Rocky Says - Martha, By now you probably feel your email went to the dead letter file. Not true. This is a hobby for me and it takes awhile for me to respond. THANKS for visiting my site.
I know the town was named after Horatio Dunton as he lived there and owned several hot springs. I did some quick research in my library but I did not find anything that indicates the founders. If I were to continue my search I would contact the Colorado Historical Society or the Denver Public Library western History dept. Fortunately I am in Colorado so I can drive to both these places for my research. Based on your phone it looks like you are in CA. I do know that the Colorado Historical Society offers a “for Fee” service. About $10 an hour to research for you if you cannot find it on their web site. They have a pretty extensive collection of newspapers, city directories, etc. Make sure you check the old Rico newspapers as they seem to have carried many articles on Dunton.
Again THANKS for your patience and visiting my site.
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