Sunshine Colorado Townsite - Ghost town
Every time I find one of these towns close to a big city I am amazed. This location was teaming with people, buildings, mills, hotels, a newspaper, saloons, barber shops, mines etc. Obviously a school as well. Today little is left to see. This town was not laid out like many other towns. It simply grow amongst the mines. Easy to understand when you see the rugged terrain. Apparently the population was over a thousand around 1876. Now to find things you have to look carefully through the trees.
Photos courtesy of Mike Sinnwell 2005
Check out the Sunshine Cemetery story here.
A reader writes - Hi! I always wondered who the people were who stopped and took pictures of our sheds across the road and now I know! The two small cabins in Sunshine are ours (and we are getting ready to restore them as they are really falling down!) We live in the house across the road which was built in 1875, and which we restored in 2003 (there is a huge 400 year old pine in the yard). There are about 13 original historic houses in Sunshine and various other buildings and mines. Most buildings were destroyed in fires or scavenged for wood during the depression. I just stumbled across these pics on the web. Thanks for sharing our little bit of paradise--Sunshine, Colorado!
A reader writes - My father, Arlie Beryl Mix, was born in Sunshine Sept. 9, 1893. His father, James Mix was a miner. I visited Sunshine a few years ago and acquired a copy of June Peterson Howard's "Stories of Sunshine". To my amazement, on pp. 61,62 was recorded info about my grandfather and also his obituary. His first wife Alice Mix was the first woman elected to the Sunshine School Board. His second wife, my grandmother, was Emma Mix, but her name was not included in the obituary. Anyway, I just found your website and enjoyed reading what others wrote. My son is the genealogist in our family. Barb Vander Veen.
A reader writes - I'm so excited to find your site and see the photos of Sunshine Canyon, Colorado. My great grandfather, Archer Pace, helped carry lumber for the school house when it was being built. He also ran a gold mine/worked in one of the mills. That was probably around 1936, as my mother and her family also went out to CO and lived in Sunshine for a bit in 1936. My mother was 4 years old. We visited in July of 2001 and tried to figure out where my family lived and worked. I have a photo of the entrance into the side of the mountain, same entrance in your photo, third row, second photo from left. Do you know what that entrance is, what mine/mill it might be from? I would be so excited to know. My mother recalls that her dad and grandfather worked in the mine/mill, just up the road from the school house. Thank you so much and I am sure going to enjoy viewing your site! - Marlys - Decatur, Illinois
A reader writes - Hi Mike, Thank you for being patient with me. I really thought that My gr-gr Grandfather James Hill had mined in Sunshine ca. 1832. My father , who is now 88, corrected me after I had sent you that email. You could have knocked me over with a feather. Genealogy is an ever ongoing search.... as I'm sure you know. my ancestor who lived in sunshine was James Afflack, Bertha Brewer Hill's uncle. However, Dad still believes that, as told to him, James Hill did in fact live among Indians and trappers in Colorado ca. 1832-1849. My brother has the gun that James Hill toted with him from Ohio thru Colorado to California and back. There are notches carved it, supposedly for each Indian killed. I don't chose to believe the Indian notch story, perhaps they were notched for each bear killed.......but who knows.
I envy you living out there...... it is soooooo beautiful,
A reader writes - Saturday, January 31, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009 Add me to your list of fans. Great website! According to 1900 and 1910 censuses, my ancestor William Hertha (1844-1917) was a gold and silver miner in Sunshine. It's great to see other names mentioned on your website who had relatives living there at the same time (example James Afflack). My family has old photos of Hertha men at one of their mines. I found your website while trying to verify areas around Sunshine, Gold Hill, and Left Hand Canyon where the Hertha men mined and where William had a combination shed/old cabin, which he called home. It would be fun to have a reunion of descendants of that area, where we can trade stories and share photos. In the meantime, thanks for allowing us to share on your website!
Check out the Sunshine Cemetery story here.
Rocky Mountain Profiles Colorado Ghost Towns and Colorado Photos – Niwot Colorado