GHOSTS OF PARK COUNTY

Buckskin Joe was discovered in August 1859 by a group of prospectors led by Joseph Higganbottom. Joe's nickname was "Buckskin" for his tanned deer skin clothes. Joe made the initial discovery of gold along Buckskin Creek. One story tells us that Joe, while hunting, pulled the trigger when he slipped, causing the bullet to miss that target but strike a rich gold vein. Most likely, Joe found the gold by conventional means. Buckskin was primarily a placer camp, but good lodes were in the vicinity.

The town flourished during the 1860s when it had a population of 1,000 – including many women. A post office opened in 1861, and was run by Horace and Augusta Tabor (of Leadville fame), who also operated a general store. The name Buckskin Joe, always popular with the miners, was made official. The first courthouse in Park County was constructed, and Buckskin Joe became the county seat.

A dozen mills operated during the boom years, and several arrastras were in use. One arrastra can still be found along the edge of the creek west of the townsite. By 1866 the mines had played out. The population had dropped, and the county seat was moved to Fairplay late that year. The post office closed in 1873.

Smallpox hit the town in 1861, and many miners stayed to protect their claims. They were nursed by Silverheels, a famous dancehall girl who eventually also sickened. Mount Silverheels is named in her memory.

Most of the ruins of Bucksin Joe have been moved to South Park City in Fairplay. Many old structures and mines remain further up the valley. The Buckskin Cemetery remains. The arrastra lies on the south side of the road about a mile beyond the townsite. The Buckskin Joe Mine, across the creek from the townsite, has a landslide formation loaded with pyrite. Below it are the remains of a 40 stamp mill.

Read more – including the gallant story of Silverheels – in Ghosts of Park County, one in a series of concise books on the ghost towns and mining camps of Colorado.

Alma	Balfour	Boreas
Buckskin Joe	Como	Fairplay
Hamilton	Handcart Gulch and Hail Valley	Holland
Horseshoe	Jefferson	King City
Leavick	London Junction	The London Mines
Montgomery	Mosquito	Mudsill
Park City	Puma City	Quartzville
Sacramento	Silverheels	Tarryall
Webster	Weston