Mt. Harris
1914-1958
The Colorado-Utah Coal Company's Harris Mine was
opened June 12, 1914 under the direction of George
Homer and Byron Harris. The camp was first named
Harris, but later changed, due to another established
post office in the state. The mine was a slope mine
located just south of the Yampa River requiring a large
conveyor system which crossed the river to reach the
tipple at the tracks of the D.S. & L. railroad.
As the town grew, a business section was erected, the
main structure was built of rock taken from the
surrounding rim rocks. This building housed a general
store, drug store, pool hall, barber shop, post office and
the mine's business office.
Colorado-Utah and Victore American incorporated to
build an elementary school. The first school was a frame
building that burned - it was replaced by a modern brick
building. The town was totally independent; the mine had
it's own power plant and water facilities. Employees were
charged from $8.00-$35.oo for rent which included
electricity and water.
Mt. Harris was considered a model mining camp. Along
with the business district there were two churches,
doctor's offices, theater, service station, two hotels, bunk
house plus a large baseball field and grandstand. The
Athletic Club was the only licensed club in the area until
1933, drawing athletes from as far as Denver, Utah, &
Wyoming to compete.
In the mine's 44 years of operation, it proved to be the
safest mine in the area, keeping the loss of lives to
approximately 7.
The names available are:
Bill Assmusson Jr., Burton Burns, Larry Phoenix,
Gene Plaza and Van Close.
At the closing of the mine in 1958, the town was
liquidated. The houses and buildings were sold at auction
with the majority moved to neighboring towns.
