2011-FS - Divide - Historic Preservation of Clay Mine near Creede, CO: Week 2

Start Date-End Date: 06/13/2011-06/17/2011 Land Manager Office: Land Manager Contact: Funding Partner: Programmatic Partner: Summary: Help stabilize and secure a rare historic clay mine near Creede, Colorado. Description: Scope of Work: The purpose of the Clay Mine project will be to stabilize what remains of the site to include restoring the appearance of a facility for the visual interpretation/education, but not necessarily for it to perform its original function. The intent of this project is to restore the "look" of the ore bin while it was in use, not to get the mine back into operation. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Participants Will Learn To: - Repair main support posts and braces - Tighten structural framing connections and replace missing wall planks on ore bin - Construct the framed enclosure on the open bin top - Sheath and roof the framed structure - Construct framed enclosure, which is the trestle, log cross ties, & railing that accessed the bin. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ History: Constructed in 1928, the Metalloid Mine near Creede, Colorado extracted bentonite clay which was utilized in the manufacture of in munitions, face powder and as an ingredient in salt water taffy. The mine closed circa 1937 after the death of Ben Birdsey, the mine's founder. The Clay Mine is significant due the rarity of this type of mine in the area, as this region was normally mined for silver and zinc. Ore was brought out of the mine by small side and front dump carts that followed a single set of tracks. Just before entering the ore bin the tracks divided into two parallel tracks; one set of tracks dead-ended inside the ore bin while the other set passed through the building and out the other side allowing for waste rock to be dumped clear of the building. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ For more information contact Rob Santoro at (719) 852-6267 or email rob@voc.org Latitude/Longitude: Additional Information: Camping Available: Physical Difficulty: Difficult High Altitude Project: Desired Number of Volunteers: 3 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 5 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 0 Total Volunteer Days: 5 Total Unique Volunteers: 1 Total Volunteer Hours: 360 Staff Hours: 0 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: Successes and Challenges: Lessons Learned: Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Description of Accidents/Incidents: Description of Work Completed: