Babylon, CO

SW Colorado, 1877

Tropes

Close-Knit Community; Company Town; Dying Town; Injun Country

Details

• Population: ~200-300

Vicinity

Was entirely contained within the Ute reservation in the SW corner of the state until 1873's Brunot Agreement ceded a large section to white miners. A handful of these mining camps exist at present:

• Babylon (current La Plata county seat) (1874)
• Silverton (formerly Baker's Park; 1874, San Juan county in 1876)
• Howardsville (formerly Bullion City; 1874; original La Plata county seat, San Juan county in 1876)
• Eureka (1875, San Juan county in 1876)
• Animas City (1876)

History

Miners first made their way into the San Juan Mountains in 1860–61, but it was not until 1869 that valuable minerals were discovered and not until 1871–72 that mine development took place. The Treaty of 1868 put the San Juan Mountains within a Ute reservation that encompassed almost the entire western third of Colorado. Although off limits to non-Indians, prospectors and miners entered the region. The growing mining activity drew the attention of the Utes, who were unhappy about the incursions but not openly hostile. Realizing the importance of the minerals, the federal government began negotiating with the Utes in 1872 to have the San Juan Mountains ceded from the reservation. After some failed attempts, the Brunot Agreement in 1873 led to the development of mining in the San Juan Mountains by taking 3.7 million acres (about 5,780 square miles) from the Ute Reservation. With completion of the agreement, the San Juan Mountains saw a mining rush that resulted in many towns being established in 1874 and 1875, including Silverton. When the boundaries of the ceded lands were surveyed, the surveyor failed to exclude Uncompahgre Park, and it was quickly settled, much to the dissatisfaction of the Utes. Seeing the abundant farm and grazing land that surrounded the ceded territory, the Colorado citizenry became even more covetous of the Utes’ land, making it only a matter of time before most of the Utes were forced from their Colorado homeland.

John Massey negotiated with a local Ute Chief for permission to seek mineral riches in the La Plata Mountains. In exchange for blankets, livestock, and other goods he was allowed access to 36 square miles. A mining company was formed, and a California investor provided funds for Massey to continue exploration in the La Plata River area. In 1873, he and a group of 10 miners from California began searching for silver and gold in the sediments of the La Plata River. They named their operation “The Bar” and its surrounding area the “California District”. They were soon joined by miners from Arizona.

The townsite was platted in 1874 and named Babylon, at the direction of their California investor. In 1876, using equipment hauled in by wagon, the first sawmill began operation. At this time, about 50 people lived in Babylon. As milled lumber became available, two stores, a hotel and a number of shanties were constructed. A post office was established in May 1876, effectively making Babylon the unofficial county seat. When Colorado became a state in 1876 the new state legislature carved San Juan County out of the northern part of La Plata County, and Babylon was approved as the official county seat of La Plata County.

Massey was a colorful character, and a regular fixture in town. However, when he was notified that the Mining Company was withdrawing its financial backing from his expedition, soon thereafter, he and his wife faded from Babylon and San Juan basin history. They went to San Francisco.

Campaign Timeline

1873: First mining camp built in the area that would become Babylon.

## May 1876: Post office established; Babylon becomes unofficial county seat.

## Sep 1876: "Doc" Bronson settles in town, opens a practice.

## Oct 1876: Ulysses Murphy settles in town, eventually hires on at the Kimble Ranch.

## Dec 1876: Papa McCastle was shot while resisting arrest by the sheriff of La Plata county, Collin Hunt, quickly convicted for his many locally-committed crimes, and publicly hanged. Beginning of the McCastle gang's "terror campaign" against the town.

## Jan 1877: Mahanui Greene settles in town, eventually hires on as a farrier at the livery.

## Mar 1877: The mining company's California investor sold his interests in the La Platas to a New York firm, who failed to capitalize on the investment.

## Apr 1877: Eva Katharina née Fischer settles in town, starts a boarding-house.

## Jun 1877: Al Walz settles in town, starts looking for work as a guide/scout.

12 Jul 1877: Men, presumed to be members of the McCastle gang, stole into town in the dead of night and kidnapped a local native girl, Chipeta, who bore witness against Papa McCastle during his trial.

13 Jul 1877: Posse formed in the morning to go after the McCastle gang and rescue Chipeta.

Locations

• Midnight Star Saloon (Barber Shop in back)
• [Hotel]
• New Covenant Church
• Marshal's Office (Formerly Massey's Office)
• Beauchamp Mining Supply
• "Hoss' Livery Stable" (AKA "The Livery")
• [Printer/Publisher]
• Madame Darnell's Gentlemens' Establishment
• [Freight Company]
• Post-Office
• [Sawmill(s)]
• Several local mines (mostly now abandoned), including Big Nose Mine
• Several outlying ranches and farms, including the Kimble Ranch