The Jessie Mill is one of the best and most easily accessed examples of a former mine and mill site in the greater Breckenridge area. The 1893 wooden stamp mill stands partially intact as evidence of miners’ extensive efforts to recover gold and other minerals from the area. While significant work has been done to prevent the remains of the Jessie Mill from collapse, the structure still experiences significant snow loads in winter months and ongoing deterioration due to moisture exposure year-round. As outlined in the Town and County-endorsed 2019 Historic Resources Management Plan, a roof above the remaining structure is the proposed treatment for long-term stabilization – a similar strategy to that which was used on the Wellington Ore Bin in French Gulch in 2015. The new roof is designed to mimic the historic roofline. While much of the main Jessie Mill structure is gone, the proposed roof will honor the look and feel of the mill in the 1890s.

Breckenridge History has identified Cortright Enterprises as the lead contractor for this project. Funding for the project is coming from the Town of Breckenridge and Summit County Government. The anticipated start date for the project is August 2023.

Breckenridge History envisions Alice G. Milne Park as a destination that engages people in the park’s history, welcomes many different public and private uses, and serves as a gathering place for locals and visitors. Click here for the park master plan. In 2020, Breckenridge History completed plans to restore the Milne and Eberlein homes, preserve historic fabric and give the buildings new uses to meet Breckenridge History and community needs. Phase 1 of the project began in summer 2022. The conclusion of the project is anticipated for fall 2023.

Breckenridge History completed an interpretive plan to guide future exhibits about the history of Breckenridge from 1950s to the present and conducted more than 130 oral histories to document the stories of long-time locals. Breckenridge History is working on design for a new Modern Breckenridge exhibit in the Welcome Center Museum. The exhibit will focus on the transition of Breckenridge from mining town to world-class resort. Fabrication and installation is TBD.

The Keystone Drill was used by dredge boat king Ben Stanley Revett in the late 1800s to test gold content at bedrock. The drill helped gold dredge boat operators determine the most profitable path for the dredge to go.

In summer 2019, Breckenridge History moved the drill from Como to Country Boy Mine in Breckenridge, where it’s currently on display. Breckenridge History plans to build a shelter for the drill, develop interpretive signs, and identify long-term preservation strategies for this one-of-a-kind artifact.

Lincoln, located approximately three miles east of Breckenridge, began as a miners’ camp in 1860 but quickly evolved into one of the earliest mining towns on the west side of the Continental Divide. Although Lincoln was never formally platted or otherwise organized as a community, it remained a cohesive entity through four mining booms and busts over the course of 50 years.

The site has been identified as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Breckenridge History completed an Historic Structure Assessment in 2016 and an Archaeological Assessment in 2018. Preservation and interpretation is earmarked for future years.