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Winfield Colorado Ghost Town
Photos Mike Sinnwell 2003 and 2005
Apparently silver mining is what started the small town of Winfield. Although it never had a post office until 1881 it did have numerous other names like Lucknow and Florence. Lacking a post office they established three saloons, three stores, two hotels, a boarding house, (for those of you that don't know that is today's version of a bed and breakfast) church and a school. The school house is still standing today.
I liked this ghost town simply because of the beautiful setting.
A viewer writes - August 2007 -- My great-grandfather and grandfather were silver prospectors in Winfield. They had a mine called the Meta which gave them and ten children income for years. My father is buried in the cemetery there. Myself, my daughters, my grandsons and granddaughters have all knelt and drank from the two streams that meet there. (North and south forks) That means that 6 generations have drank from that stream. I hope to have my great-grandchildren there in the next few years. My Aunt stays in her cabin much of the time there every summer. (Cabin is the first one on the left of the second row from the top and is called "Seldon Inn) There was a family reunion there last week with around 70 people in the camp across the river.
By the way...the cabin that is the first one from the left in the second row from the top was built by my great-grandfather and his son. (my grandfather) They were silver prospectors. The cabin actually had a room attached to the end facing the road which I and a cousin were told to tear down by and uncle who owned it at the time. My cousin and I used to go there for two weeks at a time when we were 13-15 years old and spend the time just walking, talking, target shooting and fishing. Our parents took us up there with cans of beans, cereal, some bread, and powdered milk. When they came to get us we still had some left over because all we ate was trout caught fresh. From the stream to the pan in less than 5-10 minutes. We never tired of the trout from the streams. (Brook, Rainbow and German Browns) If parents left their children like that today they would be jailed. We loved it and it was so instrumental in bringing about my love of this earth. Too bad all children can not experienc e it today. There was a gentleman a half a mile down the road who had a ham radio in case we had trouble. We ofen were there for days with no one coming around. The area very close to the cabin had large beaver ponds. My cousin caught a 27" rainbow at the bridge. See ya... :-)