This is part 2 of the Burro Schmidt Mine exploration by kids and I completed last October. We pick up from examining the mine and the exterior of what was the Tonie Seger house.

Burro Schmidt Mine
10 Oct 04




Coming back around the bend there was the homestead again. Since it was only 200 feet from the mine entrance I figured it had to be associated with the mine. After calling out several times and getting no answer, I left the kids in the Jeep and wandered right up to the open side door. The place was no only uttered abandoned but completely unattended and strewn about was the debris, tools, parts and brica brac of William “Burro” Schmidt and Tonie Seger (the last caretaker). I had read before going up that she had died last year and her relatives were trying to run the property, but they had been pushed out by BLM.



I thought this was so poignant considering everything.



Happened to glace down and see this hidden “gem” in between debris. No they aren’t real, but beautiful amid the desolation.



My daughter found this remnant of the lives that pasted through here. I made sure she put it back.


Well – a deep reminder of the last caretaker (Tonie Seger)



This area lay between the Seger House and the Burro Schmidt Shack immediately next door.

The property looked like it had seen much better days. Bit and pieces of people lives were here and there all around the tow main buildings. I kept expecting someone to burst out of the house with a shotgun and demand to know why I was there. You see for as bad as the “yards” around the buildings looked, growing up in Kentucky and Southern Indiana – I’d seen much worse place with occupants. As we wandered around outside the main house, we couldn’t help but notice some very personal and poignant reminders that this had been where people had lived and what they left behind them.









These batteries supplied backup power to the shack in the old days. Nearby was the posts for what was probably a windmill.







The property contained two main buildings and several outbuildings. Closest to the mine was Burro Schmidt's shack. This wood slat and tin building looked ancient but sturdy. All around the shack was the remains of mining equipment, jars, bottles, chests and so forth. Most looked old but were serviceable and intact. We were about to go inside the shed when a group of 6 ATVers on Quad-4's came roaring up one of the trails from below. Discretion being the better part of valor/exploration, I sent my kids back to the Jeep and approached them to see if they knew anything about the building. After a moment or two sizing each other up, I explained I was an amateur photographer and historian who was there to document a little about the property. This seemed to ease their mind that I wasn't there to steal stuff; they told me about the various parts of the property and actually encouraged me to go into Burro Schmidt's shack.

Here’s a sample of what greeted us inside.



More to follow soon!