Abel Breed is seen serving himself tea from a coffee and tea set made from the silver from the Caribou Mine. He was a wealthy manufacturer of patent medicines. He was also a partner in a large firm.

In 1870, Breed, from Cincinnati, purchased half the Caribou Mine for $50,000. He was 59 years old. In Breed’s first season, the mine yielded roughly $70,000. Three years later, he sold the mine for $3 million.

The image is courtesy of “Images of America: Around Nederland,” via Re/Max of Boulder, Inc. realtor Jimmy Keith. Information is courtesy of the Nederland Area Historical Society Collection.