Old Mine Sepia Photograph

I was driving through the San Juan Mountains to the small town of Rico, Colorado, to visit a local woodworker, when I came upon this interesting, picturesque structure, situated by a small creek. There was no sign or historical marker, so I researched it when I got home. It is the Atlantic Cable Headframe: Constructed by the Dolores Silver and Refining Company in 1898-1905, the headframe and hoist were later modified in the early 1940s with electric lighting and corrugated metal roofing and siding. The structure serviced the Atlantic Cable Mine, considered to be one of the earliest (1878) and richest mines in the Rico Mining District. The early focus of this mine was on silver, but by 1907 this had changed to zinc. During World War II both lead and zinc were mined. Silver Creek ran beneath the bridge that connected the hoist house (no longer standing) with the shaft house. The hoist house contained an air compressor that provided the miners with fresh air. A steam boiler powered the hoist with a cable which raised and lowered the ore bucket in the shaft below the headframe. Because of its vintage characteristics, I decided that the photograph should be done in sepia.

Photography:Digital on Canvas

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:23 W x 30 H x 0.1 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.