Chattanooga - Colorado Ghost Town

CHATTANOOGA

NAME: Chattanooga
COUNTY: San Juan
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 7
CLIMATE: Cold winter with snow, cool summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Summer

COMMENTS: Near Silverton.
REMAINS: A few buildings and mining remnants right on the side of the highway.

Chattanooga had three different sources of income; one was silver, another was transportation and the third was gold, all in that order. Silver was discovered during the late 1870s. Because the railroad had not yet come into Silverton, the ore had to be shipped by wagon nearly 200 miles. Chattanooga, located at the foot of Red Mountain Pass, became a key stop on the route from Silverton to Ouray. Wagons coming from Silverton would make their terminal at Chattanooga, and the wagon supplies would be loaded onto pack trains for the trip over the pass. The procedure would be reversed with traffic coming down off the pass enroute to Silverton. About the time of the silver panic that closed down hundreds of silver mines in Colorado, gold was discovered. Hundreds of miners descended upon Chattanooga and staked out just about every square foot of available land. More buildings and homes were constructed with the hope that Chattanooga would rival Cripple Creek. It was not to be. A fire swept through the city destroying most of the buildings and homes that were never rebuilt. Only a few scattered buildings remain at the site. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.	Chattanooga - July 2000 Todd Underwood Chattanooga - July 2000 Todd Underwood Chattanooga - July 2000 Todd Underwood

Chattanooga had three different sources of income; one was silver, another was transportation and the third was gold, all in that order. Silver was discovered during the late 1870s. Because the railroad had not yet come into Silverton, the ore had to be shipped by wagon nearly 200 miles. Chattanooga, located at the foot of Red Mountain Pass, became a key stop on the route from Silverton to Ouray. Wagons coming from Silverton would make their terminal at Chattanooga, and the wagon supplies would be loaded onto pack trains for the trip over the pass. The procedure would be reversed with traffic coming down off the pass enroute to Silverton. About the time of the silver panic that closed down hundreds of silver mines in Colorado, gold was discovered. Hundreds of miners descended upon Chattanooga and staked out just about every square foot of available land. More buildings and homes were constructed with the hope that Chattanooga would rival Cripple Creek. It was not to be. A fire swept through the city destroying most of the buildings and homes that were never rebuilt. Only a few scattered buildings remain at the site. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.

Chattanooga - July 2000
Todd Underwood

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