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Paradox Colorado Townsite - Ghost town

Photos courtesy of Mike Sinnwell July 2010

In 2009 Clay Greathouse, a visitor to my site, asked me why I had not visited Paradox. I had to be honest and say I never heard of it. He said I needed to research it because there are stories of a beheading at the Cashin Mine near Paradox.

I found the town but so far I have not found the story of the beheading.. Maybe Clay will send it to us.

This area was first settled in the 1870's while it was still a Ute Indian reservation. It was even nicknamed "Slaughter House of the west". This was due to the lack of water, the remoteness and the good land all of which Indians, ranchers and settlers seemed to find reasons to fight over. Then Thomas Swain discovered copper.  The Cashin Mine was a Copper mine discovered in 1880.  Serious mining did not start until 1897.

First the Indians, then the ranchers, then the miners. They all trooped through Paradox.

A viewer writes - Friday, August 20, 2010 - Its great to see you made it to Bedrock and Paradox.  I have the story of the man that was murdered and decapitated.  I'll have to go find it.  You were very close to Uravan, even if it is all gone now, but the ghosts of Uravan should last at least the half-life of some radioactive substance.

Rocky Says - Still waiting for the story....

A viewer writes - Saturday, October 15, 2011 -- Paradox and Bedrock are interesting towns.  This is a version of the story of the Cashin mine is about Slim Hecox, a watchman that was known to carry money.  He was killed at the mine and he was beheaded.  He was found after a few days and buried.  They captured the killers and found his head and dug up the body and put his head in the short casket and reburied him.

Rocky Says THANKS