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As early as 1866, a gold rush high in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico lured men, and a few women, to seek their fortunes in a remote landscape as rugged as it was breathtakingly beautiful. This northern territory of New Spain had long ago been gifted to a chosen few through Spanish and Mexican land grants encompassing vast portions of northern New Mexico. Predominantly inhabited by Jicarilla Apaches, Utes, Pueblo Indians, and Hispanic settlers, the high-mountain valleys around the small Anglo community of Red River north of Taos would evolve into a Wild West mining boomtown of the American Southwest. Bitter Creek was one of the narrow, heavily forested valleys above Red River in the Red River gold-mining district. The Big Five was one of several mines. Thought to have yielded a rich bounty of gold as early as 1858, the Big Five was prospected in 1890 with poor results. In 1921, however, it became a working gold mine employing a waterwheel power plant. The miners, mining technology, crude living conditions, and domestic and industrial artifacts are resurrected through historical written records and archaeological excavations undertaken above 10,000 feet.
About the author
In 1975, Michael S. Burney began undertaking archaeological projects throughout the western U.S. Since 1987, he has focused on developing tribal archaeological programs on Indian reservations. In 2002, he co-authored "Tribal Cultural Resource Management" and is tribal archaeologist of the Fort Peck Tribes in NE Montana. He lives in Taos, NM.
