Colorado ghost town purchased by billionaire after former use as movie set, theme park
Each Colorado ghost town has a unique history, including that of one ghost town that was physically moved across the state twice, including once by a wealthy businessman. The town, Buckskin Joe, was last located on public lands in 2011 when it was bought and moved by Florida billionaire William Koch. Here are some images and history of the place that once thrived as a mining town before becoming a ghost town, and later, a private collection.
Buckskin Joe Mine (Photo) Credit Larry Lamsa (Flickr)
The original site of Buckskin Joe was in Park County, Colorado near modern day towns of Alma and Fairplay.
Photo Credit: Larry Lamsa (Flickr)
Buckskin Joe Mine (Photo) Credit Larry Lamsa
The town of Buckskin Joe, originally called Laurette, was established by prospectors in 1859 as a mining camp. Joseph Higgenbottom, a man known for wearing buckskin clothing, took over the town after the first settlers didn’t believe the site had potential. When the discovery of gold occurred in the region, the town flourished, growing to about 2,000 people by 1860.
Photo Credit: Larry Lamsa (Flickr)
Park County Courthouse (Photo) Credit Plazak (Creative Commons)
The Buckskin Joe post office opened in 1861, as did two hotels, more than a dozen stores, and a bank. Horace and Augusta Tabor moved to Buckskin Joe and opened a general store. In 1862, the county seat of Park County also moved to Buckskin Joe.
Photo Credit: Plazak (Creative Commons)
Cabin in Alma (Photo) Thomas Elliot (Flickr)
Like the fate of many mining towns, the population of Buckskin Joe dwindled after the gold ran out by the late 1860s. Also in that decade, the smallpox epidemic hit the town and many settlers of Buckskin Joe died.
Photo Credit: Thomas Elliot (Flickr)
Alma Cemetery (Photo) Credit Larry Lamsa (Flickr)
The town of Alma still uses the original cemetery of Buckskin Joe, which is also the only major remnant of the ghost town today. Some headstones have European language that represents the diverse population of Buckskin Joe in the late 19th century.
Photo Credit: Larry Lamsa (Flickr)
Royal Gorge Train (Photo) Credit Phil (Flickr)
By the 1950s, Karol Smith initiated the effort to restore and preserve the town of Buckskin Joe. Smith met Don Tyner, then-owner of Royal Gorge Scenic Railway, and Malcolm F. Brown, an art director at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, who each shared an interest in restoring the ghost town.
Photo Credit: Phil (Flickr)
Buckskin Joe (Photo) Credit rjmonts (Flickr)
The men organized a team to transport each original structure of Buckskin Joe to a new site next to the railway. The new Buckskin Joe opened in 1958 to the general public near Cañon City.
Photo Credit: rjmonts (Flickr)
Buckskin Joe (Photo) Credit rjmonts (Flickr)
The rebuilt ghost town opened as an Old West theme park and became a site for films, including some that starred John Wayne. In 2001, the History Channel filmed a documentary called “The Haunted Rockies” here.
Photo Credit: rjmonts (Flickr)
Buckskin Joe (Photo) Credit Plazak (Creative Commons)
In 2010, owner of Buckskin Joe, Greg Tabuteau, announced that the “ghost town-turned-tourist attraction” site was for sale. The buyer wasn’t publicly announced until the next year, but it was known the buyer was more interested in the buildings rather than the site.
Photo Credit: Plazak (Creative Commons)
Tabor Store (Photo) Credit Plazak (Creative Commons)
History enthusiast and billionaire William Koch of Florida, brother of Koch Industries CEO Charles Koch and founder of petroleum coke and sulphur products company Oxbow Corp, purchased the Buckskin Joe ghost town itself and transported the buildings to his 6,400-acre Bear Ranch in Paonia in 2011.
Photo Credit: Plazak (Creative Commons)
Paonia (Photo) Credit bluerabbit (iStock)
Koch paid $1.3 million in 2011 for the wooden structures of Buckskin Joe, including the original Tabor Store building. Koch is a Kansas native who has a pricey collection of the Old West history such as a tintype of Billy the Kid, which is believed to be one of two known photographs of the outlaw.
Photo Credit: bluerabbit (iStock)
St Elmo (Photo) Credit Spencer McKee
While Buckskin Joe is not a ghost town that’s accessible to the public today, Colorado is home to many others that are public. St. Elmo is one of the most intact and easily accessible ghost towns. Find it in the mountains just outside of Buena Vista.
Photo Credit: Spencer McKee, OutThere Colorado.
(1) comment
It must be nice to have the money to buy things like this, but to remove great and interesting relics from our past and keeping them for his and his guest's private pleasure is just not right. It is taking our Colorado heritage for his own use. I have been to Buckskin Joe, and it was a fascinating glimpse into Colorado's mining past - but is now for personal entertainment only for a privileged few.
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