Legend Tells of Little Green Tricksters in Colorado Gold Mines

We've all heard of legends regarding mythical creatures like Bigfoot, the Chupacabra, and maybe even the Navajo Skinwalkers of the four corners region of Colorado, but one legend, in particular, is just as much a part of Colorado history as, say, Blucifer.

Keep scrolling to learn about the history, the legend, and the influence of the mythical Tommyknockers on the state of Colorado.

History of Colorado's Tommyknockers

The history of the state of Colorado as we know it goes hand in hand with the mining boom of the 1800s. Settlers flocked to the Rocky Mountains in search of gold and built the Centennial State in the process.

Many of the settlers that came from Ireland brought Celtic superstition with them, which included small, green men called Tommyknockers that inhabited the mines.

The knocking that was blamed on these little green men typically originated from the sound of a mine that was about to collapse, so in this aspect, the Tommyknockers were good. However, other legends told of Tommyknockers causing mischief, and even death to those miners that didn't believe in them.

The myth of the malicious Tommyknocker was also told to children that lived near these mines in order to scare them away from the danger that was attached to exploring them unsupervised.

The Legacy of Colorado's Tommyknockers

Today, Tommyknockers are regarded as just as fictitious as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, but there are still plenty of signs of their legend throughout Colorado.

For example, you'll find the Tommyknocker Brewery and Pub in Idaho Springs and can spot their various beers in liquor stores across the state. There's also the Tommyknocker Tavern in Creede, Colorado, a town with a rich mining history.

While today, Tommyknockers are most famously portrayed by the 1987 Stephen King novel of the same name, as well as the subsequent 1993 miniseries starring Jimmy Smits, the legend will always have a big place in Colorado's history books.