Located
1889
ELEVATION
9,790 Feet
ABANDONED
1890
“Water is best, but gold shines like fire blazing in the night, supreme of lordly wealth.”
The first significant discovery of gold in Colorado was made on January 5, 1859, by George Jackson very near the present site of Idaho Springs. He was panning along the confluence of Clear Creek and Chicago Creek.
The rush was on. Clear Creek exploded with activity.
Evidence of the extensive mining along Clear Creek can be seen all along Clear Creek Canyon out of Golden and then continuing along I-70 as far west as Loveland and beyond.
In particular, the Idaho Springs to Georgetown portion of the highway is littered with huge tailings piles, abandoned mines, and all the necessary accouterments of mining in the nineteenth century. Among these are the extensive ruins and leftovers on Saxon Mountain looming over Georgetown, including the Anglo-Saxon mine, not to be confused with the mine of the same name in San Juan County.
Taking the Saxon Mountain four-wheel-drive road out of Georgetown will lead you to multiple mines and abandonments, and eventually to the Anglo-Saxon mine. Its buildings are adorned with a cheerful red siding. The ore bin has fallen over on its side and is a well-known site to travelers speeding by on I-70 far below.
As is the case with so many abandoned mines in Colorado's high country, I can find little to no information on the Anglo-Saxon's history. If you have any historical information on this site which you would like to share, please feel free to reach out and pass it along.