1902 Map of Silverton

About this map

Silverton serves as the industrial and transport hub of this high-altitude mining landscape, where two specialized mountain railroads radiate into steep glacial basins. The Silverton R.R. climbs toward the northwest, passing Chattanooga on its way to the mining camps of Ironton, while the Silverton Northern R.R. follows the Animas River valley through Howardsville, Middleton, and Eureka to reach Animas Forks. This network reflects a late-nineteenth-century mining boom that established permanent settlements in extreme alpine environments like Gladstone and the Ironton Park area.