Big Rock Candy Mountain

Lost for generations, the Big Rock Candy Gem Mine has fascinated treasure seekers since the early days of the First People.

Even today you can come across precious stones that were, once upon a time, unearthed from the legendary mine — rubies cut into the shape of strawberries, emeralds shaped as freshly picked apples, beer barrels cut from brown jasper.

But what befell the celebrated diggings?

Why was the mine lost?