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Hydraulic mining operations at Bemrose Placer on Hoosier Pass, south of Breckenridge, Colorado. The crew stands by as the hydraulic pipe with high pressure nozzle, called a "Giant", forcefully directs water at the gold-bearing hillside. Water rushes over the gulch and through the gravel pit. Circa 1900s.

The Evans hydraulic elevator system at the the Gold Pan Mining Company south of Breckenridge, Colorado, with a view of the elevated trestle and sluice. Tailings were hauled up the elevated wooden trestle by ore trolley and dumped over the edge, away from the Blue River and Gold Pan excavating pit. The sluice was used to collect potential gold-bearing dirt and gravel. Mine buildings in the background, with a view of Barney Ford Hill. Circa early 1900s.

The elevated wooden scaffold at the Gold Pan Mining Company in Breckenridge, Colorado. Circa early 1900s. Far left, a sluiceway with a rubber conveyor belt moved rocks from the gold excavating pit and into an ore trolley. The trolley moved up the elevated wooden scaffold and dumped the rocks over the edge, eventually creating a massive tailings pile. The Gold Pan Mine operations nearly reached the buildings and houses on the southern edge of town. Tenmile Range in the background; the Colorado and Southern (C&S) Railway tracks are in the foreground.

Evans elevator system and excavation pit at the Gold Pan Mining Company just south of Breckenridge, Colorado. Water diverted from the Blue River was forced under tremendous pressure down one pipe into the pit. A second pipe hydraulically lifted rocks, dirt, water and potential gold to the elevated trestle and sluice. Tailings were moved by conveyor belt into an ore trolley; the trolley hauled the rocks up the elevated wooden trestle and dumped them over the edge, away from the pit. In the background are houses on Ridge Street. Circa early 1900s.

The Evans elevator system and excavation pit under construction, on the Swan River at Galena Gulch near Breckenridge, Colorado. On the left is a wooden tramway tower and cableway. Circa 1900s.

Evans elevator system at the Gold Pan Mining Company operations south of Breckenridge, Colorado. Circa early 1900s. Water diverted from the Blue River was forced under tremendous pressure down one pipe into the pit. A second pipe hydraulically lifted rocks, dirt, water and potential gold to the elevated trestle and sluice. Tailings were moved by conveyor belt into an ore trolley; the trolley hauled the rocks up the elevated wooden trestle and dumped them over the edge, away from the pit. In the background are the Gold Pan Shops, including the pipe making shop and dipping tank; machine, blacksmith and carpenter shop; and pipe flanging and shearing shop. Also, the Gold Pan office building with dormer windows. Barney Ford Hill is in view, with Illinois Gulch to the southeast.

View of the Great Flume in American Gulch, located on Farncomb Hill near Breckenridge, Colorado. Circa 1896. The mill, originally built for the Victoria Gold Mining Company in 1887, is in view on the steep hillside.

Photograph taken by Otto Westerman for the Wapiti Mining Company circa 1896. Shows the view of the Great Flume on Farncomb Hill above American Gulch, six miles east of Breckenridge, Colorado. The buildings of Dog Town can be seen below. This area was known for its crystallized gold.

Hydraulic mining at Gold Run Placer on Gibson Hill, near Breckenridge, Colorado. Circa early 1900s. Men from the pit crew stand by while a "Giant" (a high pressure nozzle fitted on a hydraulic pipe) directs a powerful jet of water towards the base of a gravel bank.

Kingsbury (later called Banner) Placer hydraulic mining operations in Iowa Gulch near Breckenridge, Colorado. Circa early 1900s. On the bank above are wooden buildings and log cabins surrounded by piles of stacked logs. A buck and rail (or buck and pole) livestock fence climbs the hillside next to a split rail fence corral.

Hydraulic mining operations at Indiana Gulch, southeast of Breckenridge, Colorado. Circa 1934. Water streams down the gulch, where below men are shoveling to remove rocks and debris. The gulch bed is strewn with river rock and boulders.

Hydraulic mining operations at Indiana Gulch, southeast of Breckenridge, Colorado. Circa 1934. A forceful stream of water jets from a high pressure nozzle fitted on a hydraulic pipe (called a "Giant") and into a wide gulch strewn with log debris.

Hydraulic mining at Kingsbury Placer (later called Banner Placer) in Iowa Gulch, northwest of Breckenridge, Colorado. Men stand by as a hydraulic pipe with high pressure nozzle, called a "Giant", forcefully directs water at the hillside. A wooden sluice carries water above piles of discarded rock and small tree branches.

Company manager George H. Evans (left) and shops superintendent Robert "Bob" Gore (right) stand beside the water diversion headgate run by the Gold Pan Mining Company, south of Breckenridge, Colorado. An unidentified man stands on top of the wooden frame. The nearly four mile long Gold Pan Ditch and connecting pipeline brought water from Indiana Gulch, Pennsylvania Gulch, and the Blue River, to operate the Evans hydraulic elevator system. Circa 1900s.

Miners stand in front of the first successful Pelton wheel to operate in Summit County, Colorado. Circa 1880. This "new" technology, first used in California, provided hydropower for the Gold Pan Mining Company operations at the south end of Breckenridge. Behind the men is a large pile of rocks and boulders.

A well-dressed man, woman, and boy stand on lumber scattered on the side of the Swan River, overlooking Bucyrus No. 4 dredge. Behind the boy is a large stack of wood for the dredge's boiler. Excavated rocks and boulders line the opposite side of the river, following the dredging route. In the background are tree-covered hills. Circa early 1900s.

Pit crew working in the Gold Pan Mining Company's excavation pit, south of Breckenridge, Colorado. Circa 1900s. Standing in knee deep water, men use shovels to heave boulders larger than 8 inches into the "stone boat", a rectangular metal platform edged on three sides. The attached cable pulled the boat up to the surface, where it dumped the rocks on the west side. The large pipes are part of the Evans hydraulic elevator system.

Hydraulic mining operations at Sisler Placer (later known as the Mecca Placer) on the French Gulch slope of Barney Ford Hill, east of Breckenridge, Colorado. Circa 1898.

The Wapiti Mining Company's automatic dam is open on the south Swan River, north of Breckenridge, Colorado. Circa 1896.

Men stand in the pit below the Evans hydraulic elevator system on the lower Swan River, southwest of Swan's Nest, north of Breckenridge, Colorado. Built by the North American Gold Dredging Company in 1898, it operated for one season and was a failure. Circa 1898-1899.