Prunes, A Burro
Posted by: 
krazykatzen
N 39° 13.405 W 106° 00.106
13S E 413527 N 4342047
A touching memorial to Prunes the burro in the revitalized ghost town of Fairplay. The monument preserves his collar and other town memories of the beloved burro.
Waymark Code: WM1TGZ
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 07/07/2007
Views: 102
In the 19th century gold mining towns of Colorado, Donkeys were the “engine” that kept the mines humming. One such burro is remembered by history, and his name was Prunes.
Miners would send Prunes alone, down the mountain and into town with a shopping list tied to his harness. The storekeepers would load him up with supplies, and Prunes would faithfully return to the mining camps. He was treated well and lived a long life, eventually working at all the nearby mines in the area.
When he was finally too old to work, the town still cared for him. Prunes would often panhandle in front of doors for food. In the winter of 1930, a terrible blizzard struck the town of Fairplay. Several days later, Prunes was found trapped by snowdrifts in a shed he used to escape the snowstorm. The townsfolk nursed him back to health with flapjacks, but he never fully recuperated. When Prunes died that spring, the town built this monument to honor his service and companionship.
When posting a visit to this waymark, please include your favorite thing about Prunes or the monument along with a photo.
Group or Groups Responsible for Placement:
Citizens of Alma & Fairplay.
County or City: Fairplay
Date Dedicated: April 25, 1930
Check here for Web link(s) for additional information: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new or if you were able to take any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark. If possible, please post a photo of you at the marker OR your GPS at the marker location OR some other creative way to prove you visited. If you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Colorado history, go ahead and include that in your log!