Sheep Mountain Mill

by Jim Garrison

Title

Sheep Mountain Mill

Artist

Jim Garrison

Medium

Photograph - Fine Art Print

Description

The Crystal Mill (Old Mill) or historically known as the Sheep Mountain Mill, is one of the most beautiful, picturesque and reputed to be the most photographed area in Colorado state. It’s located above the Crystal River in Crystal, Colorado, between the towns of Glenwood Springs and Aspen on Highway 82, seven miles southeast of Marble.

But what is this place actually?

Well, The Crystal Mill is a wooden powerhouse built in 1892, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Astonishing is that Crystal never had nor does it have now, electricity.
It is said that the mill harnessed the river adjacent to the mill to power the air compressor housed inside. Also, early engineers had built a dam across the river, which funneled water down the vertical penstock (the ladder-like structure) onto a horizontal wheel, which drove an axle in the penstock.

The penstock powered the air compressor. In turn, the enormous compressor ran drills in the nearby Sheep Mountain and Bear Mountain mines. The drills were used to bore holes in the mine walls for the placement of dynamite. After the dynamite was detonated, the miners removed the whole ore.
Even the operation shut down in 1917, the site has been preserved with the help of the Gunnison and Aspen historical societies and today The Crystal Mill remained an attraction for the city of Crystal.

The Crystal Mill is reachable only in the summer and fall months; it is accessed by a road that requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle, a sturdy pair of boots, a mountain bike or a horse.
You have to see this place for yourself. You will see it’s worth its tourist attraction status.

Welcome fellow travelers. Though originally from Illinois, Colorado has been home since 1959. Since, as a boy, I snapped my first photo, I have been captivated by the symphony of beauty, and intricate design which surrounds us. God is the composer, and this humble musician, my camera is my instrument, strives to do justice to His composition. If I have been successful, and to that end, I hope you enjoy your journey down my Colorado Trails. Please feel free to leave a comment or contact me at: jim3584@msn.com. All images are the sole property of James Garrison and Colorado Trails Photography, and are protected by US copyright laws. Any use without permission is strictly prohibited.


28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalm 118:28-29 KJV

Uploaded

October 11th, 2019

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