Hughes seeks memories of Golden Cycles mill

       Westside historian Dave Hughes would like to hear from people who know about the old Golden Cycles gold mill.
       He is planning to publish an in-depth piece on the mill and said he is hoping to interview “anybody who worked in the mill or has good information about what life was like for their parents or whoever worked in it.”
       According to records, the mill east of South 21st Street operated from 1906 to 1949, processing more than 15 million tons of ore and earning more than $200 million.
       About 20 years ago, Hughes helped lead an effort to save the mill's historic smokestack from being declared unsafe and possibly torn down. Drawing on then-current soil studies, he was able to show that the stack was still solid. “Several old-timers came up to me afterward and told me they were happy I'd saved the chimney,” Hughes recalled.
       Evidently, the smokestack is still far from falling down. The investment group for the Gold Hill Mesa residential-commercial development has incorporated the smokestack into the project.
       To reach Hughes, call him at 636-2040 or e-mail dave@oldcolo.com.

Westside Pioneer article