In 1859, gold was found for the first time in Colorado, in Idaho Springs. Entrepreneurs, professionals, and laborers flocked to the area, turning it into a gold mining district. The developers of the Argo tunnel dug a tunnel for ten years, to which gold mines were connected throughout the region for water drainage, ventilation, and gold transport.
On January 19, 1943, a flooding accident occurred in the tunnel, and its activity was permanently stopped. The site was abandoned until it was purchased by a local developer who turned it into a visitor center.
The tour lasted about an hour and a quarter and included explanations of the method of gold mining, the construction of the tunnel and how to use it, the processing of the gold, and its sale.
On tour, each participant received a plate of sand, in which some gold leaves were planted in advance, and the guide taught us how the workers separated the gold from the rocks and sand.
There is also a small visitor center and souvenir shop.
Nice!
