Constructed in 1894 at an elevation of 11,003 feet, the Paris Mill was once an important resource for processing precious metals from mines in Park County’s Buckskin Gulch. Time and unstable metal prices forced the closure of the mill in 1951.
When the Paris Mill was listed on Colorado’s Most Endangered Places in 2004, the building was in poor condition, and its original machinery inside was left to the elements. Since then, Park County has purchased the Mill and has been instrumental in its preservation.
Over nearly a decade, Park County identified many funding sources and carefully planned phasing out different preservation plans. This project demonstrates the many stakeholders' steadfast dedication and how perseverance is critical, especially in larger preservation projects.
This perseverance in the project’s stakeholders has resulted in the Mill being added to the National Register of Historic Places and completing over $900,000 worth of preservation work through the State Historical Fund. Along with private donors and volunteers, the Paris Mill has successfully stabilized and rehabilitated the Cyanidation Wing, the Gold Precipitation Wing, the East and West Wings, the Center Section, the Tower, and the Tank House.
Classification as a SAVE for 2024 recognizes the outstanding efforts completed by the South Park National Heritage Area, Park County, Form Works Design, JVA, RMC Excavation, Alpine Archaeology, and Wattle & Daub Contractors. The Mill will open as a guided tour museum later this year.
Colorado Preservation, Inc: coloradopreservation.org/
CBS Colorado
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