Lamartine Ghost town townsite and Mine Colorado
Photos Courtesy of Mike Sinnwell June 2003
The Lamartine town site is located in a saddle above 10,000 feet. Just follow the steep 4x4 road past the mine to get there. Yet another Colorado Ghost Town.
A reader writes - Hello there, My Great-Grandfather was Ed Hicks (William Edward Hicks) who worked with his brother Monroe S. Hicks at the Lamartine mines. My GGF left CO and moved back to MO.by about 1897 SOMETHING happened in CO. that my G-GF would Not talk about Said he could Never go back to CO. if he did he would have to testify and put a man in jail. ???? Do you know what might have happen? Also after the 1910 Census Monroe Spruiel Hicks & family I can NOT find It was like the married daughters Teresa Hicks b 1887 Clear Creek m. 1908 Frank O'Connell & Martha Amanda Hicks b. 1891 married James Kastner 1909 Clear Creek. & one son Manden P. Hicks b. 1889 Clear Creek. Disappeared. not in 1920 or 1930 census in US. Does anyone know When the Lamartine Mines closed down Or any info on Monroe S. Hicks family. Thank you - Kathy Please write to jnewton62@comcast.net
A reader writes. - Friday, August 05, 2011- I am trying to find out how the lamertine mine got its name. i am researching lamertine genealogy and i have a old letter from my ggg grandfather saying they were headed to colo. i think colo was a stop but i don't know for how long. they ended up in Montana. my email is janice_b692001@yahoo.com. if anyone can help i would appreciate it. his name was Alex Lamertine
Rocky writes - I am not sure that you are aware but the Lamartine mine and town site are spelled differently than your name. ( an a instead of an e) I hate to disappoint you but the Lamartine mine was found by four prospectors named Cooper, Chavanne, Medil and Bougher. They named their gold mine the Lamartine. Why they picked this name I do not know. So I suspect your relatives were not directly involved in the mine or the town.
A viewer writes - July 15th 2018 - My Great Grandfather William Caginell Scott, his fiancé and later wife, Mary Johnson and his brother Andrew Rubideaux Scott worked and had some investment in the Lamartine mine in Colorado.
My estimate is they were involved between 1875 and 1897. My grandfather Jerome was William and Mary’s first child and he was born in 1898. In 1902 they moved by wagon to Morton, Washington and Chehalis, WA with several other family members including their parents William and Henrietta (Etta) Dunston Scott from Blue Rapids, Kansas, some of Etta’s brothers and Williams’ sister Nancy and Phil Mahar and their family. Much of the family was involved in logging in Washington state.
I am interested in getting a 4x4 tour up to the mine in mid-August 2018, before our family reunion this year in Blue Rapids, KA. If you have anyone to recommend helping me get there. I would appreciate that. I will be flying to Denver from Seattle, WA.
Marianne (Scott) Lincoln Marianne26435@gmail.com
Rocky responds – Marianne, Thanks for visiting my site. I appreciate it. The last trip I made to Lamartine was with a young lady from Denmark and her American sponsor. That was 2 years ago. It is a decent 4x4 road but certainly you need a 4x4. and some good maps. I typically use topo maps. Even google earth will get you there but it can be confusing. A lot will depend on how many are in your group and if anyone has experience driving a 4x4. You can rent high clearance vehicles like Jeeps and that would easily get you there and back. I typically go in on the Phoenix gold mine road and come out on the Ute highway.
From Marianne. August 17th 2018 - I made it! Scared me a bit, how far the road was rough. But, I only brushed my undercarriage once, just slightly. Yay! Left with great photos, pride, all my tires and transmission intact. :-)