Colorado
Ghost Towns &
Mining Camps
Tours
1.
Columbia City
2.
Beaver City,
Vicksburg,
Rockdale/Silverdale,
Winfield
2a)Tasmania Mine
2b)Swiss Boy Mine
2c)Fortune Mine
2d)Banker Mine
2e)Hamilton
2f)Clohsey Lake
3.
Latchaw Mine
4.
St. Elmo
4a)Romley/Hancock
4b)Alpine Tunnel
4c)Mary Murphy
Mine
5.
Midland, Fourmile,
Free Gold Hill
Tour 4a: Romley / Hancock
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View Info On Other Tours In This Area Click On The Letters In The Close-Up Map Below Or Go To The Over-All St. Elmo Area Map 
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Destination: Romley / Hancock
General Location: West of Buena Vista 25 miles (Romley located 4 miles past St. Elmo and Hancock 6 miles further)
How To Get There: Follow highway 24 south out of Buena Vista to County Road 162 and follow it all the way to the left fork (CR 162a). The road goes all the way to the old Romley site and then to Hancock.
Difficulty: The gravel road CR 162a is rough and rocky, but is passenger vehicle accessible all the way to the Romley site and then on to Hancock by driving slow.
Private Property & Responsible Recreation: Romley & much of the surrounding area is on Private Property. Venturing off of public roads and lands onto private land is trespassing. The surrounding mountains have miles of underground tunnels and shafts. The area is dangerous and a once safe and stable area can suddenly collapse. The buildings also are in various state of decay and are also unsafe. Obey any posted signs, travel & recreate responsibly, and always tread lightly.
History of Romley / Hancock: Romley, also known as the "red town" because all it's buildings were painted red with white trim, was a key part of the Mary Murphy Mine operation and once had over 400 residents. It was originally called Murphy's Switch because of the presence of it's railroad siding. All that remains today of Romley are memories... the boarding house, post office, school, mine office, assayer's office and mill have all been destroyed.
All that remains of Hancock, (just up the old railroad bed 6 miles past the Romley site), are a few logs from one of it's saloons. It was founded in 1880 by prospectors working the Hancock Placer Claim and reportedly supported 350 residents during it's peak.
Area Photos: Click To Zoom.
[Main Tour Map]
