Laserfiche WebLink
3 <br />I • and the final report eras submitted to Thorne Institute in June of 1977. <br />1 A preliminary report had been provided to the Bureau of Land Managerent <br />on April 29th in order to expedite Colorado Westmoreland's clearance for <br />drilling operations on federal mineral holdings under surface control of <br />John Morrell of Paonia (Baker 1977). The preliminary report indicated that <br />no significant cultural resources o-rould be impacted by the proposed opera- <br />' tions of Colorado Westmoreland. This report presents evidence for this <br />I <br />' determination and attempts to contribute something in the way of a valid <br />i <br />historical/cultural perspective on the general impact area and the cultural <br />resources within it. It is further hoped that the report gill prove to be <br />j a useful sampling of the history and archaeology of the North Fork Country <br />and that it might contribute to the efforts of other historians and archaeol- <br />i <br />~ • ogists. <br />Description of the Study Area <br />The Orchard Valley mine complex focuses around two primary areas of <br />activity. The first is the mine site located roughly two and one-half miles <br />. north of Paonia in Delta County, Colorado (Fig. 2). The surface workings of <br />the mine are located on 120 acres of private surface which is sleep and rugged <br />mountainside high above the florth Fork Valley of the Gunnison River. The <br />mine is located to the north of the river approximately 1500 feet above the <br />valley floor. The actual mining operation involves a direct impact area <br />extending three and one-half miles further back into [he mountains about <br />Stevens Gulch. This area includes lands belonging to [he Bureau o` Land <br />Management and private individuals and is herein referred to as Impact <br />• <br />