History

Last Chance Mine was started in 1891 when Ralph Granger and Eric Von Buddenbrock  grubstaked a prospector named Theodore Renninger. After about a year, Theodore was down to his last $5.00.  He decided to have breakfast in Creede one last time and told his friends he was leaving on the evening train. He was done with Creede. Theodore went up the canyon one last time to finish his prospecting, but when his burro got loose he went further up the mountain. When he caught up with the burro, it was standing by a large rock outcrop. Theodore sat on that rock and began to strike it with his hammer and found the apex of the Amethyst vein with silver. Because of what he said to his friends at breakfast that morning, “See y’all later. This is my Last Chance to strike it rich.” Thus the name Last Chance Mine.   

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