inspired
Photos Courtesy of Creede Historical Society that mine production was outstanding in 1892. The Amethyst Mine was listed as the highest producer of ore and the second highest was the Last Chance Mine. In the first half of 1893, Creede was still booming. In March, the mining problems involving the three counties were put to rest when Mineral County was formed. The boom and the excitement came to a sudden end in August of 1893 when the U.S. Congress repealed the Silver Purchase Act. The government quit buying silver, the price of silver crashed and silver mining in all the American West was halted. The boom was over! All mines closed in Creede. Many miners left town, which caused many businesses to close and owners to leave town. Soapy Smith was one of them. Creede was one of the few lucky silver mining towns that never became a ghost town. Hundreds of little mining towns were abandoned in Colorado during the Crash. Within a few months the larger mines in the Creede District reopened but with much smaller crews and much lower wages. The town did not die, but it certainly changed, and it has never come even close to the population in the BOOM times.
After The Boom
Mining remained the main economy in Creede until 1985 when the last producing mine closed. As a mining town, Creede continued to experience boom and bust times. During the boom times more people would live here, buildings would be built, schools, churches and other groups would thrive. During bust times, many would leave town, businesses would close and social groups would have fewer numbers. The town was affected very much by the price of silver. At the turn of the twentieth century, Creede experienced an economic upturn. In 1905 the Humphreys Mill and the Amethyst Mill were built. In 1930 the Emperius Mining Company was founded by B.T. Poxson and Herman Emperius. By 1945 they controlled most of the mines and purchased a
mill just south of town. In the 1960’s the Commodore Mine was still being worked by the Emperius Mining Company. Homestake Mining company came to Creede in that same decade and they opened the Bulldog Mine, initiating what was to become the last silver boom in Creede. In the 1970’s the population was growing so fast that house trailers had to be brought in and almost every nook and cranny in town had a trailer in it. Around 200 students were in attendance at the K-12 long schools during part of that boom. It did not last. In the 1980’s the Commodore Mine ceased operation and in 1985 Homestakes’s Bulldog Mine halted its mining, closed its doors and sold many of its buildings. With Creede’s dependence on mining for so many years, its population was cyclic, depending on the price of silver. Many businesses were open, then closed. Essential businesses stayed open, like grocery stores, livery and later auto repair shops, Tomkins Hardware (which provided goods for the town’s citizens and for the mines), and mercantile stores. The town might have many stores open for years and then would have many abandoned store fronts and houses for years. Tourists had begun coming to the Creede area in small numbers until the 1920’s when automobiles became more affordable and popular. Many area ranches offered beds and food and, later, became dude ranches with cabins available. In town, hotels, lodges and, later, motels were built for the tourists. Nature had given us many natural wonders to attract people to the area. There is so much to see and do for people who love the outdoors. Hunting and fishing have always been popular, in early time more necessary than now. Camping has always been popular. The outdoors (mountains, canyons, unbelievable vistas), elk, deer, moose, birds and the lure of mining buildings and a mining town have brought photographers here since the 1890’s. There have been schools in Creede since the early days: cont’d >>>
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