The Matchless Mine Historic Site

The History of the Matchless Mine

The Matchless Mine, located on Fryer Hill—the richest part of the Leadville mining district—was purchased by Horace Tabor, Colorado’s Lieutenant Governor, on July 17, 1880, for $77,850. It sat along a trend of rich Fryer Hill mines like Little Pittsburg and Chrysolite, which had already made Tabor a millionaire. Betting on a third bonanza, Tabor acquired the Matchless, initially dismissed as “Tabor’s Folly.” In September 1880, however, rich ore was discovered, yielding silver worth up to $300,000 per ton today. From 1880 to 1886, Tabor earned about $1.2 million ($465 million today). By 1887, the ore was depleted, profits plunged, and he entered a financial spiral, borrowing heavily until his death in 1899. At that time, creditors operated the mine under a foreclosure delay.

Tabor’s second wife, Elizabeth “Baby Doe” Tabor, paid off creditors with a loan and continued to lease and promote the mine for 28 years. She relied on loans secured by the Matchless, repaying them with new ones. In 1928, Shorego Mining foreclosed, but owner J.K. Mullen allowed her to remain in the cabin. From 1900 to 1935, she lived between Denver and Leadville. In 1930, she was recorded on the census at the Matchless. She died there of a heart attack on February 20, 1935, at age 81. Her body wasn’t found until March 7. Despite local legend, she had food, money, and coal when she died.

Today, the Matchless Mine National Historic Site preserves the legacy of Western mining in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Historic Site in the Future

The Matchless Mine Historic Site is funded entirely with donations and grants. Programs like school group tours and community days rely on donations to happen at the Matchless Mine. Are you interested in donating to make the site more accessible to others in the future? Please consider donating to make preservation and access a priority!