Members of the WHG&HS were in for a treat at our June meeting! Our guest speaker—Ken Williams, an accomplished potter, sculptor, and artist—shared a fascinating presentation on the old clay mine located off Hwy 96 and Wild Oaks Road in Wetmore.
The mine, originally owned by Virgil Lawson, began operations under contract in 1958. In 1964, Summit Brick in Pueblo took over the contract, with William "Bill" Smith handling the mining and deliveries.
Operations ceased in 1970 after a falling out between Lawson and Smith, who had attempted to continue mining without Lawson’s permission. Over time, the mine became overgrown and was largely forgotten—until the 2012 Wetmore Fire cleared the vegetation, making it visible again. The site remains privately owned.
Ken walked us through his entire clay-working process—from mining to pulverizing, screening, and firing. One of the most intriguing aspects of the local clay is its transformation: it comes out of the mine black, but fires to an off-white, making it highly desirable for Summit’s construction-grade bricks. After the mine’s closure, Summit turned to other sources, including the Simla and Fox mines.
Ken also shared insights into the different types of clay, each with its own firing time and temperature. He touched on the ancient history of pottery, noting that the earliest records of fired clay date back over 23,000 years to Egypt and Syria—regions where dry climates helped preserve this legacy.
To wrap up his talk, Ken showcased some of his past brick projects, many of which were commissioned public art pieces for towns across Colorado.
Then came a delightful surprise: Ken invited us to make our own clay dinosaurs! After a few moments of hesitation, the room quickly filled with smiles and laughter as we dove into the creative process. Ken will fire our little creations at his studio and return them at our July meeting.
As Ken reminded us, “Bricks are small, but they can build something monumental.”
Thank you Ken for this very informative and fun presentation!