A new chapter in San Juan history began when a explorer Charles Baker found flecks of Gold sparkling in a stream in Silverton a rush of miners quickly came to the mountains in Silverton.

The miners began making little communities also the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Train was just starting also the year was 1860.

Also a little later silver was found in the area and many people came mostly men though also the mining was brief and the minors left hundreds of buildings around.

Also today the old buildings are still around these area’s one of the ghost towns is Animas City no one and another town was called Bakers Bridge.

Also at this time the town was left deserted then in 1873 came the Brunot Treaty theres such a ghost town called Animas City to this day on the road of east Animas just 11.7 miles leading to the one lane bridge follows East Animas road then you come to Bakers Chasm another memorable day trip featuring Durango’s mining past and a grand vista in the La Plata Mountains begins on La Plata Canyon Road 12 miles west of town off U.S. Highway 550 the pavement ends a mayday a small community near the present site of Parrot City, a prospeious Gold placer camp and mining town of 500 to 1,000 in 1876 it was the county seat but only a few original found dations stubble the ranchland now.

One, the roads west side sits a large group of white frame buildings with red trim the frist of which is a saloon brought here from, La Plata County.

A 4-wheel drive vehicle is helpful for the 4 miles to La Plata City this is considered the site where Spanish explorer Juan Rivera discovered, Gold when he led a party through here in 1775 a 100 years later yankee fortune hunter hit pay dirt, mining silver along with gold until the 1893 silver panic all but closed the town regardless of the intriguing old mine shafts and their surrounding cabins have their rotting timers and deadly fumes pose a serious threat.

“Please be Careful” plus, its private land and the owners say keep out?