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Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine

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Coordinates: 38°45′11″N 105°09′38″W / 38.75306°N 105.16056°W / 38.75306; -105.16056
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Ore bin at the Mollie Kathleen mine.

The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine is a historic vertical shaft mine near Cripple Creek, Colorado, United States.[1] The mine shaft descends 1,000 feet (300 m) into the mountain, a depth roughly equal to the height of the Empire State Building in New York City.[2] The mine currently gives tours,[3] and is visited by around 40,000 people annually.[4] The addition of the mines and subsequent tours of this mine and others in the area had considerable effect on the economies of both Victor and Cripple Creek.[5][6][7]

History

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The mine was started in 1891 on a mining claim staked by Mollie Kathleen Gortner, after whom the mine was named.[8][9]

Other than a government-ordered hiatus during World War II, the mine operated continuously until 1961; since then, it has continued as a tourist attraction.[10]

On Thursday, October 10, 2024, during a tour, the elevator malfunctioned, killing one tour guide, injuring four, and leaving twelve others trapped underground—eleven tourists and a mine worker.[11] Eleven others were rescued. Authorities hoped to repair the elevator but had a fire department crew ready for a rescue operation.[12][13][14] All twelve people were evacuated via the elevator on Thursday evening.[15][16]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Acord, Deb (August 13, 2006). "Mining with monster trucks Tours of Victor mine give passengers golden ticket to region's rich history". The Gazette. Colorado Springs, Colorado. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012.
  2. ^ "Go deep in the Molly Kathleen Mine". The Gazette. Colorado Springs, Colorado. August 13, 2006. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012.
  3. ^ "An inside look at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine". Fox 21 News. May 9, 2016.
  4. ^ "Man's fund-raising idea is a gold mine Leasure may reside for a year in shaft beneath Cripple Creek". The Gazette. Colorado Springs, Colorado. June 27, 1992.
  5. ^ "City of Victor". The Gazette. Colorado Springs, Colorado. October 17, 1999. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012.
  6. ^ "Cripple Creek sees gold in mining town's history". The Gazette. Colorado Springs, Colorado. July 22, 1998.
  7. ^ "Colorado Driving Tours: Scenic Golden Loop Historic Parkway: Cripple Creek and Victor, Colorado". Archived from the original on January 24, 2010. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
  8. ^ MacKell, Jan (2003). Cripple Creek District: Last of Colorado's Gold Booms. Arcadia Publishing. p. 134. ISBN 0-7385-2413-1. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
  9. ^ Casewit, Curtis; Lindberg, Eric (2007). Colorado Off the Beaten Path (9th ed.). Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot. pp. 129–130. ISBN 978-0-7627-4412-1. Retrieved November 14, 2009.[dead link]
  10. ^ Hall, Loretta (2004). Underground Buildings: More Than Meets the Eye. Sanger, California: Quill Driver Books. p. 189. ISBN 1-884956-27-0. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
  11. ^ Colorado death reported at tourist gold mine, and 12 people trapped underground. CBS Colorado. October 10, 2024. Retrieved October 11, 2024 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ Prentzel, Olivia (October 10, 2024). "1 dead in Colorado mine incident as rescuers attempt to free 12 others trapped 1,000 feet underground". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  13. ^ May, Haylee; Galva, Alejandro A. Alonso; Markus, Ben (October 10, 2024). "1 person dead in Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine accident in Teller County, 12 people still trapped". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  14. ^ One dead, several trapped in Colorado mine after equipment malfunction. ABC News. October 10, 2024. Retrieved October 11, 2024 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ May, Haylee; Galva, Alejandro A. Alonso; Markus, Ben (October 10, 2024). "12 people trapped in Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Teller County rescued". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  16. ^ Arseneau, Emily (October 10, 2024). "Trapped parties safely rescued from Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine near Cripple Creek". KRDO. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
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38°45′11″N 105°09′38″W / 38.75306°N 105.16056°W / 38.75306; -105.16056


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