PROJ00116

• Contract/PO #: C153477
• Contractor Name: Victor, City of
• Water District: 0
• County: Teller
• Bill Number: XB 99-999
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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city with sturdy brick buildings. Nearly overnight it had managed to
transform itself into one of the most modern mining towns in the
nation. As the fifth largest city in Colorado, Victor contained a
modern hospital, two undertakers, 35 gambling halls and saloons, eight
churches, one high school, an opera house, and a population of no less
than 18,000 people.

The true industrial backbone of Victor was its many mines. Specifically,
four mines, all located on Battle Mountain, accounted for the majority
of Victor's wealth. The Portland Mine, recognized as the producer of
over half of Battle Mountain's gold, had the biggest surface building
and the largest (700-man) payroll. The longest-lived mine, Ajax, did
not cease operations until 1962. It also had the deepest shaft in camp
(3,500 feet) and yielded some $20,000,000 worth of gold. The Indepen-
dence Mine was third ranking in the district with $28,000,000 of gold
production and an extraordinary eighteen miles of underground tunnels.
The best equipped mine, Strong, claimed a "mere" $13,000,000 worth of
gold. In fact, Battle Mountain was so rich with high-grade ore yields
that Victor's streets were literally paved with gold (albeit the lower
grade ore). A fifth mine, Gold Coin, merits attention as well since it
stood directly in the center of Victor's business district.

The mining industry grew until the 1920's. Between 1920 and 1930 the
demand for metals declined. As a result, the mining industry failed to
keep pace with the growth in the national economy. Ironically, the
gradual decl ine in mining activity served to preserve the town's
Victorian architectural heritage.

Table 2.1 presents chronological tracing of the population fluctuation of the
city and surrounding area. Data was made available through the Department of
Local Affa irs.

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