Sound Democrat Mill

Trail Overview

The journey to the Sound Democrat Mill is indeed steeped in history, offering a fascinating glimpse into the past. Nestled at the bottom of a picturesque valley, the mill stands as a testament to the industrious spirit of a bygone era. This historic mill, once a bustling hub of activity, played a crucial role in processing ore from the surrounding mines. As you traverse the path leading to the mill, you'll encounter remnants of the infrastructure that once supported the mining operations. One of the most intriguing features is the now-defunct aerial tramway lines that once stretched across the rugged landscape. Today, the skeletal remains of these tramways serve as silent sentinels, bearing witness to the ingenuity and determination of the miners who toiled in the mountains. The valley, with its natural beauty and historical significance, offers a unique opportunity to step back in time and appreciate the efforts of those who contributed to the region's rich mining heritage.

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Difficulty

This trail is mostly made of a rock base. There could be a mud puddle or 2 on the trail but nothing that will get you stuck. A few spots are rutted out and may cause your vehicle to be slightly off-camber.

History

The Sound Democrat Mill is a historic ore concentration and amalgamation mill built in 1905-1906 in the heart of the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. The mill is located near the head of Placer Gulch at 12,000ft in elevation, in a region with numerous hard-rock silver and gold mines. The seven-stamp mill originally served the Sound Democrat Mine, but was later expanded in 1909 to also process ore from the adjacent Silver Queen Mine. The seven-stamp mill used stamps to crush the ore, amalgamation to extract the gold, and concentration to separate the silver, lead, and zinc sulfides from the waste rock. Ore was transported from mine to mill via an aerial tramway. Mill operations ceased in 1910 in concert with a decline in the market value of minerals and new advances in milling technology. The mill was eventually abandoned in the 1920s. The Sound Democrat was one of 36 amalgamation and stamp mills in the county in a 1911 survey and is now the only surviving one. In 1991, the Sunnyside Corporation donated the Sound Democrat Mill to the BLM and federal employees spent time each summer to stabilize the mill. Reconstruction efforts in the 1990s included leveling the building, new wooden beams to rebuild the ceiling, non-galvanized metal roofing, and several machines were rebuilt. In 2015 History Colorado, through the State Historical Fund grants program, gave out 24 grants for historic preservation projects. The Sound Democrat was among those to get a piece of the $3 million pie. David Singer, the BLM and Mountain Studies Institute helped apply for the grant. The stabilization construction was completed during the height of the tourist season, which meant that the project was able to serve as "historic preservation in action" to the thousands of people who visited the site during the project. Signage and construction personnel were able to convey to the public the importance of historic preservation and the need for stewardship of these valuable resources. The Sound Democrat Preservation Project was commemorated on October 4, 2017. Presentations were made by the Bureau of Land Management, Silverton Restoration, Klinke and Lew Construction, Alpine Archaeology, San Juan County Historical Society, and Colorado History Fund. A tour of the mill highlighted the history and the process of restoring the structures. Over 20 people attended the event at the project site

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