The Historic Orient Mine

From 1880 until 1932, the Orient Mine was the largest producer of iron ore in Colorado, producing approximately two million tons of limonite. Located on the east side of the San Luis Valley, it’s believed to have been named for the Old French word which means east. 

The Orient Mine had two associated town sites, with the early years spent on the upper site and moving to the lower site in the early 1900s. At its peak, the town of Orient had a population of more than 400 people. It had a library, barber shop, school, two restaurants, a boarding house for 300, a saloon, a milling company, and a host of small businesses, including a clothing supplier. 

Brazilian Free-Tailed Bats were first documented at the mine in 1967. For nearly 50 years, these bats have returned and called the Glory Hole home from mid-June until mid-September. At the height of bat season, it’s estimated that nearly 250,000 bats fly out of the mine and play a vital role in controlling the mosquito populations.