October 03, 2010

The Mill at the Camp Bird Mine, 1940 and 2010


Photo by Russell Lee, 1940, for Farm Security Administration

The Camp Bird Mill above Ouray, Colorado, from a series of color photos of American life that nowadays cause people to react, "How slim they were! How dignified!" Yeah, what about that?

That building is gone, but the tailings pile remains (below), helping to give the Uncompahgre River its uniquely milky-green toxic appearance.

3 comments:

Darrell said...

The third link, "series of color photos of American life", doesn't work.

Oh fer the good ol' days, used to go to the Ouray/Ridgway area every summer. Drive over Owl Creek Pass sometimes, NE of Ridgway. The scene in True Grit where Rooster charged Ned Pepper and his gang was filmed in the meadow under Chimney Rock and Courthouse Mountain, near the top on the west side. As a bonus, Silver Jack Reservoir and the Forks of the Cimarron lie just to the east of the top of the pass.

Chas S. Clifton said...

The link should work now. Sorry.

Heather Houlahan said...

Yeah, what about that?

Been taking a nutpick to my brain for days.

When did we become a soft, pink people?