Mayflower Mill: Silverton's ore mill still set up to run

Most people who come to Silverton ride the train or wander the old townsite. About two miles northeast of town sits something quieter and, in its own way, more telling: the Mayflower Mill, also called the Shenandoah-Dives Mill. It earned its own National Historic Landmark listing in 2000, separate from the railroad and the historic district.

This is where the raw ore actually became money. Rock came down off the mountain on an aerial tramway, then ran through gravity tables and froth flotation tanks that pulled out the gold, silver, and base metals. The mill started processing ore in early 1930 and worked most years until 1991.

What makes it worth the short drive is that the machinery never left. The tram buckets still hang in the tram house, and the flotation equipment sits where it was bolted down. The historical society calls it the only intact mill of its kind in Colorado still in working order. Walking the floor, you can follow the path the ore took, step by step.

The San Juan County Historical Society opens the mill for self-guided tours in the summer months, with a small information desk and gift shop on site. Check days, hours, and admission before you go at the San Juan County Historical Society.