Pioneer Surveyor – Hal Sayre

Ben Dugan
GCN Historical Writer

1/12/2006 - During the winter of 1858-59, Georgia prospectors and a group of miners from Indiana discovered gold in Gregory Gulch. George Jackson had made a small discovery in Idaho Springs, but the major discovery came in what was to become Gregory Gulch. John Gregory was responsible for the find. William Green Russell from Georgia made a major discovery a few miles south of Central City--at what was to become Russell Gulch.

  Hal Sayre came to Colorado during that early gold rush year of 1859. Colorado as we know it was identified as Kansas Territory in those early days. Hal Sayre and his friend Ed Parmalee went to Central City after traveling through Denver and camping at the junction of the Platte River and Cherry Creek. They were unsuccessful, like the many thousands of miners that eventually gave up the strenuous work of mining. However, Hal Sayre saw the potential of the new territory and decided to stay. He and his friend built a cabin in Golden and lived there for a short time. Sayre and Parmalee then relocated the more accessible passes to the north along the Rockies and founded the settlement of La Porte. They stayed on for a couple of years and later returned to Central City.

  Hal Sayre was the first trained engineer in the new pioneer country of what became the Territory of Colorado in 1861. When the Mining Laws of 1872 were later passed, he became the first Deputy Mineral Surveyor appointed under the terms of this Act. In February 1861 the new Territory of Colorado was organized and the legislature later decided to divide the new Territory into 17 counties. Hal Sayre ran the first county line between Boulder and Gilpin Counties. He also located the Sayre ranch along this line. The Moffat Railroad later went through this ranch when the line was built in 1905.

  Hal Sayre’s expertise in civil engineering also provided a solid basis for being involved in performing surveys as related to the mining industry. He laid out the town of Central City, Nevadaville, Black Hawk, and Russell Gulch. He also made himself available to survey mine patents for miners. Many miners did not have the adequate funds to pay for the survey services, and Sayre was able to accept deals that would give him a third, fourth, or one-sixth interest in the claim. In time he owned, partially or in whole, hundreds of claims throughout Clear Creek, Gilpin, and Boulder Counties.

  In 1864, with Indian Wars raging on the plains, Governor Evans asked for more Cavalry volunteers. Hal Sayre recruited over 100 men for the Third Colorado Cavalry volunteers in Central City. He served under the command of John Chivington and was later involved in the events at Sand Creek.

  Alexander Cameron Hunt was the fourth territorial governor of the Colorado Territory from 1867-1869 and his administration was dominated by conflicts between Indian tribes, primarily the Utes and other Plains Indians, and white settlers. Indian uprisings had become so common and violent that Hal Sayre, the Adjutant General, created volunteer forces to protect property and life. The Indian problem became so severe that Central City offered money for Indian scalps. Tensions were relieved only after a meeting was arranged between tribes and President Andrew Johnson, and Governor Hunt.

  In 1870 Sayre married Elizabeth Dartt in Boulder. Dartt was the daughter of another engineer from the East, Josiah Dartt. Sayre still owned many mining claims and offered a considerably generous leasing option to lessees who were willing to work honestly and efficiently. They were always welcome to stay if they made regular progress. Sayre would front them funds for mining and hoisting equipment. Average production on these smaller ventures would average $1,000 a month or more.

  Hal Sayre’s reputation as a mining engineer grew and he began to travel for various jobs elsewhere. He became well-known in Aspen and Cripple Creek. Around the turn of the century, Sayre moved to Denver and built a large mansion. He also bought one of the first automobiles in Colorado in 1903. It was referred to as a horseless buggy and was quite expensive.

  In 1911 Sayre became president of the Rocky Mountain National Bank. He continued in various business dealings as mining was beginning to weaken. Banking and Sayre did not mix. Sayre let all of his “old friends” borrow money for mining ventures and sold out the best interests of the bank. The bank lost many thousands of dollars and had to be repaid by the stockholders and directors of the institution. He died in 1926 and left his mansion in Denver as one of his only remaining assets, along with hundreds of mining claims. These were later sold for taxes. Sayre was one of the last surviving pioneers who had dug gold with John Gregory.