Walsenburg Mining Museum

About:-

WALSENBURG was called the "City Built on Coal" during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Exhibits highlight memories of the more than 100 mining camps in Huerfano County which were home to thousands of miners and their families.

LOCATED IN the 1896 Huerfano County Jail, the Walsenburg Mining Museum also has memorabilia from the original jail including a "furnished" cell. See where such notable law-breakers as Bob Ford, the murderer of Jesse James (he killed another man in Walsenburg), and Mary "Mother" Jones, a labor organizer in the 1903-1904 and bloody 1913-1914 coal miners' strikes. Another display shows the opposite side of the labor force with a complete office once belonging to the owner of a coal mining company.

THE MINING Museum displays vintage photographs of the miners, their families, homes and camps. Also on display are maps and charts, miner's personal gear and belongings, tools and equipment. One map highlights the world origins of the unfortunate miners killed in local mines. There also is much genealogical material for those searching for their roots. A gift shop on the premises offers books, maps, and other informational materials as well as souvenirs and keepsakes.