Silver Plume purchases 200 acres to preserve history

BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE OLOVE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e town of Silver Plume recently purchased 200 acres of Brown Gulch and Republican Mountain in an e ort to protect cultural resources, preserve open space and protect the history of the town.

On Jan. 30, town o cials closed on the historic land purchase after raising $600,000 in just shy of a year. e town of around 200 people saw donations from businesses, foundations and individuals from the community.

e land the town purchased has a history for Silver Plume that won’t soon be forgotten. e purchased area includes 95 mining claims and what was once the Mendota Mine, which saw its heyday in the late 1800s.

Doug Watrous, founder of Jack Pine Mining, was a xture in the Silver Plume community for years, known for his passion for mining.

Fabyan Watrous, Doug’s wife, managed Jack Pine mining until her death in 2017. She served as a

Clear Creek County Commissioner for many years and was also an important facet in the community, according to Fabyan Watrous’s daughter, Debbie Rutzebeck, who sold the town the land.