Colton was born Nov. 22, 1862, in Provo, Utah, and grew up to marry Matilda Bybee in Brigham City, Utah, in May 1883.
In May 1897, Colton located a promising ledge of ore on the top of a hill. A few yards away, he found a second outcropping. Thus, the claim was dubbed the Duplex. Its ore yielded 72 ounces of gold per ton. The Searchlight mining district was created the following year.
Colton's discovery set off a rush to Searchlight, and, between 1907 and 1910, it was one of the more prosperous mining camps in the state. It produced almost $7 million in gold and other precious minerals, and reached a population peak of about 1,500. One of the richer Searchlighters was George Colton, who built a large home on Hobson Street, then the town's main drag. It still stands, one of the few original structures left in town, and still is owned by the Colton family.
In May 1897, Colton located a promising ledge of ore on the top of a hill. A few yards away, he found a second outcropping. Thus, the claim was dubbed the Duplex. Its ore yielded 72 ounces of gold per ton. The Searchlight mining district was created the following year.
Colton's discovery set off a rush to Searchlight, and, between 1907 and 1910, it was one of the more prosperous mining camps in the state. It produced almost $7 million in gold and other precious minerals, and reached a population peak of about 1,500. One of the richer Searchlighters was George Colton, who built a large home on Hobson Street, then the town's main drag. It still stands, one of the few original structures left in town, and still is owned by the Colton family.
Colton was born Nov. 22, 1862, in Provo, Utah, and grew up to marry Matilda Bybee in Brigham City, Utah, in May 1883.
In May 1897, Colton located a promising ledge of ore on the top of a hill. A few yards away, he found a second outcropping. Thus, the claim was dubbed the Duplex. Its ore yielded 72 ounces of gold per ton. The Searchlight mining district was created the following year.
Colton's discovery set off a rush to Searchlight, and, between 1907 and 1910, it was one of the more prosperous mining camps in the state. It produced almost $7 million in gold and other precious minerals, and reached a population peak of about 1,500. One of the richer Searchlighters was George Colton, who built a large home on Hobson Street, then the town's main drag. It still stands, one of the few original structures left in town, and still is owned by the Colton family.
In May 1897, Colton located a promising ledge of ore on the top of a hill. A few yards away, he found a second outcropping. Thus, the claim was dubbed the Duplex. Its ore yielded 72 ounces of gold per ton. The Searchlight mining district was created the following year.
Colton's discovery set off a rush to Searchlight, and, between 1907 and 1910, it was one of the more prosperous mining camps in the state. It produced almost $7 million in gold and other precious minerals, and reached a population peak of about 1,500. One of the richer Searchlighters was George Colton, who built a large home on Hobson Street, then the town's main drag. It still stands, one of the few original structures left in town, and still is owned by the Colton family.
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