Western Mining History
Stories of outlaws, lost treasure, and the pioneers who shaped the American frontier during the great gold rushes.
Featured Stories
The Reynolds Gang Stolen Treasure
Confederate raiders buried $40,000 in gold during the Civil War. The treasure has never been found. Read the deathbed confession that revealed its location.
Stagecoach and Train Robbery in Colorado
The history of stagecoach robberies during the gold rush era, including the shocking story of a female road agent in Leadville.
The Diamond Fields Hoax of 1872
One of America's most notorious gemstone mining frauds. Two Kentucky prospectors fooled Tiffany's and San Francisco's elite investors.
Treasure Mountain: The Lost French Gold
Napoleon's secret expedition to Colorado's San Juan Mountains. 200 Frenchmen, a cache of gold ingots, and a legend that persists to this day.
Alferd Packer: Colorado's Cannibal
The infamous tale of the only survivor of an ill-fated gold prospecting expedition in the San Juan Mountains during the brutal winter of 1873.
Arizona Gold Nugget of Unusual Size
The 1930 discovery of a remarkable gold nugget at Rich Hill in Arizona's Weaver district, and the history of one of the West's richest placers.
The Hanging of Sam Bass
The last train robber of the Old West, a $60,000 gold heist, and five hidden treasure caches that have never been found along Beaver Creek.
More stories from the archives coming soon. Check back for tales of Jack Slade and other Western legends.