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Before long, word got
out of the rich silver ores to be mined in the area and a number of
other mines were developed including the C & D, Golden Curry, Hard
Cash, and Union Mines.
The ore from the
Elkhorn Mine, the largest in the district, was initially processed
with a 5-stamp mill, but by 1881, the mine had reached a depth of 300
feet and needed better refining methods. For a year, the mine then sat
silent until further capital could be gained. The Elkhorn Mining
Company then took over the property, quickly developing the operation
to include a new hoist, and a 10 stamp-chloridizing mill, which was
able to process about 11 tons of ore per day. In 1884, a mill was
built, and the following year, a smelter. In the late 1880s, Elkhorn
reached its peak, supporting a population of about 2500 people, with
many more living in the surrounding gulches.
Lining Main Street
were three hotels, a post office, a two lane bowling alley, four ice
houses, several retail stores, a barbershop, blacksmith, livery, and
numerous saloons. The town also boasted a Methodist Church, a school,
and hundreds of homes, cabins, and boarding houses.
Unlike many other
gold camps that were called home to large groups of rowdy single men,
Elkhorn’s residents primarily comprised of European immigrant
families, who worked not only in the mines, but also as woodcutters in
the forest.
In 1888, the Elkhorn
Mining Company increased its stamp mills to 25 and was working the
mine some 800 feet below ground, bringing out about $30,000 in ore
each month. The next year, the company sold out to a London syndicate
for $500,000, which retained the name of the mine, remodeled the mill,
and began aggressive development. Hauling the ore got easier too that
year, when the Northern Pacific Railroad established a branch line
from Elkhorn to Boulder.
In May, 1893, work began on a new
Fraternity Hall for the town to serve as a social center. Also located
on Main Street, the two story building featured a large hall on its
first floor, and a large meeting room on the second. Built in a
modified Greek revival architectural style, the Fraternity Hall today
still stands and is one of the most photographed buildings in the
state.
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