Crystal Mill - Crystal , CO
Posted by: ArmyFamily4
N 39° 03.540 W 107° 06.273
13S E 317906 N 4325431
The Crystal Mill, or the Old Mill is a 1892 wooden powerhouse located on an outcrop above the Crystal River in Crystal, CO. Today it stands as a Colorado icon, and is reputed to be the most photographed site in the state.
Waymark Code: WMB153
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 03/22/2011
Views: 5
Constructed in 1892 for use as a powerhouse, the wooden Crystal Mill sits on a dramatic rock outcrop above the Crystal River near the town of Marble. Although called a mill, it is more correctly denoted as a compressor station, which used a water turbine to drive an air compressor. The compressed air was then used to power other machinery or tools.
The mill was constructed in 1892 by George C. Eaton and B.S. Phillips, promoters of the Sheep Mountain Tunnel and Mining Company. It was built as a power plant for the Sheep Mountain Tunnel. Originally it had a horizontal waterwheel which generated compressed air for miners in the nearby silver mines. It fell into disuse in 1917 when the Sheep Mountain Mine closed. The mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 5, 1985.
Current Status: Ruin
Current Use: no longer in use
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