Paris Mill
Year Listed: 2004
County: Park County
Status: PROGRESS
Context: Mining
Date Constructed: 1894
Significance:
Once an important site for processing precious metals from mines in Park County’s Buckskin Gulch, the Paris Mill is now abandoned, despite the fact that the nearby Sweet Home Mine is currently producing rhodochrosite, a rose- colored gemstone and the official Colorado state mineral. Subject of many an artist’s brush, the now languishing Paris Mill was constructed in 1894 and is a Local Landmark of Park County and considered eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The mill is a large, vernacular multi-level structure with aerial tramway connections to mines in the mountains above. Some original machinery is still contained within the building, including three different stamps used for crushing and grinding ore, representative of several generations and methodologies.
Threat When Listed:
For sale; may be sold to insensitive buyer.
Since Listing:
At the instigation of Colorado Preservation, Inc., representatives of the out-of-state owner came to Colorado in the summer of 2004 to talk with supporters about their vision for the site. The owner brought a sampling of the extensive archive connected to the Paris Mine and Mill and agreed to allow Park County to document the entire archive. Shortly after the meeting, the owner paid to have the Paris Mill sealed to protect the interior from the elements and an on-site security system was installed.
Park County has completed local landmark designation for the site. In the meantime, Colorado Preservation, Inc., Park County, the Alma Foundation, and numerous other organizations and individuals worked on the Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative. This is a large-scale conservation plan to protect natural and historic resources in the area. Sponsored by The Trust for Public Land and funded by Great Outdoors Colorado, the plan was completed in 2005, and the preservation of Paris Mill was identified as top priority. Park County is still trying to acquire the mill and mitigate hazardous material concerns, but there is a potential buyer interested once all this work is completed.
Park County Tourism has been working with these and other groups to put together funding to acquire the Mill and to write legislation designating the Mosquito Range and other areas of the county as a National Heritage Area. This proposed legislation has support from Colorado legislators who introduced the bill in 2006. These actions may result in federal funding for preservation of historic sites in the future, including the Paris Mill.
Related Link:
The Alma Foundation
Last Updated:
July 2008