Colorado Has a Cliffside Town That’s So Toxic, It’s Illegal to Go Near It

Gilman, Colorado

For almost 100 years, miners extracted silver, gold, zinc, and copper from the tunnels beneath Gilman, Colorado. When the mines closed in 1984, residents were forced to leave everything behind due to horrific levels of contamination.

Here’s the fascinating story behind this forbidden ghost town.

How John Clinton Built A Mining Town On A Cliff

John Clinton saw potential in Battle Mountain where others saw only steep slopes. The Red Cliff judge and prospector bought up mines in the 1880s and he needed workers who lived near it.

His solution was to build housing on the mountainside where miners could live within walking distance of their dangerous jobs. He named the settlement after himself initially.

That changed in 1886 when they honored Henry Gilman, the Iron Mask Mine superintendent. Gilman donated land for the first schoolhouse, creating a foundation for community where before stood only rugged mountain terrain.

Battle Mountain’s Unique Mining Challenges

Mining at Gilman meant conquering a nearly vertical landscape. Workers blasted tunnels into the mountain with mines suspended between two worlds.

The town perched high on the cliff while the milling operations sat hundreds of feet below at Belden. This created one of Colorado’s most dramatic mining scenes.

The 1899 Fire That Destroyed Half The Town

Fire ripped through Gilman in August 1900, destroying everything in its path. Flames consumed the Congregational church, post office, and entire business district. Thirty-three buildings burned to the ground.

Ten businesses lost everything while fifteen families found themselves suddenly homeless.

Yet within months, hammers rang across the mountainside. The determined community rebuilt, maintaining around 300 residents who refused to abandon their precarious mountain home.

When Zinc Transformed The Town’s Fortune

Miners discovered a problem as they dug deeper. The ore changed, showing such high zinc content that smelters refused to buy it.

In 1905, they installed a specialized roaster and magnetic separator to extract the troublesome zinc, which eventually became their top product. From 1905 through 1930, zinc dominated production.

Life In Colorado’s Longest-Running Mining Town

A few hundred people called Gilman home in the 1960s. Despite its isolation, the town offered surprising amenities. Residents received care at the company infirmary, bought groceries at the company store, and bowled at the company alley.

During World War II, Uncle Sam needed zinc more than soldiers. Gilman miners received draft exemptions as their work supported the war effort.

Theie bowling alley also became a source of local pride. For years, it remained the only one in Eagle County, bringing visitors from surrounding towns just to roll a few frames.

Labor Strikes During The 1950s

For decades, Gilman miners worked without unions while other mining towns fought bitter labor battles.

From 1915 to 1950, New Jersey Zinc kept wages stable during the Great Depression when other mines slashed pay. This built loyalty that lasted generations.

That changed in 1959 when workers finally walked out. They demanded better pay, fair arbitration, and limits on management control. The strike ended in 1960 with a settlement.

When Gulf+Western Took Over Mining Operations

Corporate giant Gulf+Western swallowed New Jersey Zinc in 1966. The conglomerate wanted zinc for chrome used in automobile production.

Gilman became a small piece in a massive corporate empire with interests ranging from movies to manufacturing. By December 1977, economic realities hit hard. Gulf+Western eliminated 150 jobs, blaming a 25% drop in zinc prices for the cuts.

The market turned against Gilman as car manufacturers abandoned chrome designs. What once made Gilman valuable suddenly became obsolete.

The Unprecedented Mining Output From Gilman

Despite its troubles, Gilman’s productive history remains impressive. By 1970, miners had extracted 10 million tons of ore from Battle Mountain.

The precious metal haul included 393,000 ounces of gold and a staggering 66 million ounces of silver.

Industrial metals poured from the mines in astounding quantities: 858,000 tons of zinc, 148,000 tons of lead, and 105,000 tons of copper.

By 1972, the mines had generated $328 million in mineral wealth. No other operation in Colorado produced more zinc than Gilman during its century-long run.

How Environmental Disaster Created A Ghost Town

In 1983, businessman Glenn Miller bought the mine for $17.5 million. He didn’t know he was purchasing an environmental nightmare.

Operations ceased in 1984 as ore reserves dwindled and evidence of pollution mounted. Toxic chemicals from decades of mining had poisoned the ground and water, and the EPA ordered residents to abandon the town that same yar.

The final residents left in spring 1985 when Battle Mountain Corporation evicted the remaining families. The post office closed, marking the official end of Gilman.

The Environmental Protection Agency ended up declaring 235 acres a Superfund site due to eight million tons of mine waste that required containment and treatment.

Visiting Gilman, Colorado

The property remains private, dangerous, and strictly off-limits to visitors. Law enforcement actively prosecutes trespassers. Instead, try driving along Highway 24 between Minturn and Tennessee Pass to spot Gilman’s abandoned buildings.

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