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View southeast from the CR 9 Bridge over the Animas River just below Animas Forks, CO. The West Fork and North Fork
of the Animas River meet a few hundred yards above this point to form the headwaters of the Animas River.
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View southeast from along the banks of the Animas River near the CR 9 Bridge. The peaks on the horizon are Jones,
Niagara and Crown - all thirteeners.
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This is the most prominent home left standing in Animas Forks. A full two story home with a bay window in the front
room. It is known as the "Walsh or Duncan House". Animas Forks had a Post Office until 1915. The
town was founded in 1873 as a central supply point for the many mines in the mountains above.
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View looking northwest to this fairly well preserved wood frame home with Houghton Mountain on the horizon.
A railroad spur from Silverton was built to Animas Forks in 1904 to support the Gold Prince Mine. Foundations
are the only remaining evidence of the Gold Prince Mines Stamping Mill.
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Looking north with the stacked cribbing foundation of the "Walsh or Duncan House" clearly
in view. This house is somewhat exposed and the fact that it is still standing would imply that
it must be well connected to a good foundation.
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Front view of east elevation with bay window. Apparently, Animas Forks did not succeed as a town because the
area was prone to avalanches. Many buildings were simply swept away each winter.
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Close-up of previous view. Animas Forks is located at 11,150 feet above sea level. The air is very dry and the
lack of moisture in the wood prevents rot. The legend is that Evalyn Walsh lived in this home for a short time.
Evalyn's father, Tom Walsh, founded the Camp Bird Mines near Ouray, CO
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Tom Walsh, became one of the wealthiest men in the United States in the late 1890's. Tom Walsh gave Evalyn the
"Hope Diamond" as a wedding gift. Evalyn was the last person to privately own the Hope Diamond. It is now on
display in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC. The house has also been,
however, credited to a William Duncan.
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Full view from the bay window north to what little remains of the Columbus Mill and Mine.
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Close-up of the curling clapboard wood siding on the Walsh house.
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View southwest from the back of the "Walsh or
Duncan House" to a more simple one story wood frame building.
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View of the front porch of the house in the previous image.
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Another view of the one story home looking northwest. Animas Forks is one of the largest "somewhat intact"
Ghost Towns in Colorado. Hopefully, it will remain so for many years. Maybe additional buildings could be reconstructed.
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View northeast from one of the many simple wood frame homes still standing in Animas Forks. The "Walsh or Duncan
House" is just visible as the last building in the image at the bottom of the hill.
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Front entry to one of the simple one story wood frame homes in Animas Forks. Most residents left in the fall and
returned in the spring to avoid the brutal high mountain winters and avalanches.
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Front porch of another home in Animas Forks. Animas Forks was home to approximately 200 persons at it's high
point just before the turn of the 20th Century.
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This is the second largest home in Animas Forks next to the "Walsh or Duncan House".
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This is the fireplace in the main room of the wood frame house in the previous image.
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This is a panoramic image looking north with the "Walsh or Duncan House" on the left and the Columbus Mill ruins beyond.
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Ruins of The Frisco Mill & Tunnel Complex near Animas Forks in California Gulch. This is a large three gable building
in various stages of repair. The intact two gables have been stabilized with steel cables. A 7,500 foot long tunnel
starts here and bores into solid rock.
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This is an ore bucket of some kind near the mine shaft entrance at the Columbus Mine & Mill above Animas Forks.
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Another view of the ore bucket and some kind of mine support building beyond.
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This is an old pick-up truck in the Animas Forks vicinity.
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This is an overview of Animas Forks, CO from the higher ground across the creek at the Columbus Mine & Mill just before sunset.
The town was slowly abandoned after the Gold Prince Mine closed in 1910.
By 1917 there were no permanent residents.
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View northwest to what was the Gold Prince Stampimg Mill at Animas Forks, CO.
The foundations of this construction can still be seen as you approach
the parking area.
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