Buckskin Joe, Laurette - Colorado Ghost Town

BUCKSKIN JOE or LAURETTE

NAME: Buckskin Joe, Laurette
COUNTY: Park
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 5
CLIMATE: Cold winter with snow, cool summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Summer

COMMENTS: Very close to Alma.
REMAINS: Current residents, many original buildings.

This camp was named for Joe Higgenbottom who was named "Buckskin Joe" for the leather clothing he wore. Legend has it the mine was found while a man named Harris was deer hunting. He shot at his prey and thought he hit it but the deer ran off. In searching for the bullet or traces of blood, he found the bullet and it had lodged itself in an outcropping of placer gold. More than 5000 people showed up in this town by 1861. By 1864 the town was deserted and the mother lode had played out. Ranches continued in the area for a long time and some of the buildings at this town were carted off to nearby Fairplay.	Arrastra - This early ore crusher consisted of two large rocks positioned in a stream bed. The bottom one is stationary; the top one is attached to a horizontal pole so that an ox or burro pulling on the pole could slowly revolve it. The grinding action of the two stone surfaces pulverized the ore, and water running through the arrastra washed away unwanted gravel and rock. Courtesy Dolores Steele Buckskin Joe Cemetery Courtesy Dolores Steele Buckskin Joe Cemetery Courtesy Dolores Steele Buckskin Joe Cemetery Courtesy Dolores Steele Buckskin Joe Courtesy State Historical Society, Colorado

This camp was named for Joe Higgenbottom who was named "Buckskin Joe" for the leather clothing he wore. Legend has it the mine was found while a man named Harris was deer hunting. He shot at his prey and thought he hit it but the deer ran off. In searching for the bullet or traces of blood, he found the bullet and it had lodged itself in an outcropping of placer gold. More than 5000 people showed up in this town by 1861. By 1864 the town was deserted and the mother lode had played out. Ranches continued in the area for a long time and some of the buildings at this town were carted off to nearby Fairplay.

Arrastra - This early ore crusher consisted of two large rocks positioned in a stream bed. The bottom one is stationary; the top one is attached to a horizontal pole so that an ox or burro pulling on the pole could slowly revolve it. The grinding action of the two stone surfaces pulverized the ore, and water running through the arrastra washed away unwanted gravel and rock. Courtesy Dolores Steele

Buckskin Joe Cemetery
Courtesy Dolores Steele

Buckskin Joe Cemetery
Courtesy Dolores Steele
Buckskin Joe
Courtesy State Historical Society, Colorado

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