St. Elmo as seen from Chalk Creek

We had the chance to spend much of July 7th wandering amidst one of the country’s best cared for, loved, and preserved ghost towns – St. Elmo, Colorado. Located at roughly 10,000 feet elevation in the heart of the Colorado Rockies, this charming ghost town exudes western mining heritage, historical intrigue, and the spirit Old West. The dusty streets, wood plank sidewalks, and aging wooden structures, quickly take visitors back to the late 19th century when St. Elmo was a mining boomtown. While we were there, several of the historic buildings were open to walk into and the general store contained all sorts of interesting artifacts, antiques, and souvenir

The impressive preservation and restoration efforts undertaken by area residents, the State of Colorado, and Historic St. Elmo & Chalk Creek Canyon, Inc. is very commendable. The town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

A short side trip up to see the ongoing restoration of the Mary Murphy Mine Tram Building was also fascinating. This structure along with the remains of two towers were a part of the mine’s aerial ore tramway system developed to carry ore down from the mine.

Image of a former aerial ore tramway located in Wyoming – Source: 1981tatrip.oldcootonabike.net

Below is a montage of this amazing ghost town (and nearby mine) that are totally worth the beautiful drive up into the mountains from U.S. 285 near Nathrop, Colorado. Peace!

Mary Murphy Mine Tram Bldg.Former aerial tram towersAbandoned railway bridge

If you also find ghost towns as fascinating, here are two books available through Amazon.com. *A link has been provided for each book to Amazon.com. A small commission is earned from purchases that are made using the links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.*

Link – https://amzn.to/4eN0gx7 Link – https://amzn.to/3VTpzoj

https://panethos.wordpress.com/2024/07/08/steeped-in-rocky-mountain-history-at-st-elmo-ghost-town/

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