Tommyknockers: The legend that lives inside Colorado’s mines

DENVER ( KDVR ) — The tales of some Colorado legends are still being told today — from the haunted Riverdale Road to the Lafayette vampire. One tale that has been passed on for centuries is about the legend of a particularly pesky creature known for pulling pranks in Colorado mines.

According to History Colorado , the mines brought droves of people looking for gold, silver and other gems in the 1800s. While the mines brought an economic change to Colorado, it also came with an urban legend known as the Tommyknockers.

According to Luke Perkins with History Colorado, the folk tale originated from the British Isles in the late 1800s and became well known at the height of the gold rush and silver booms. It was a popular story among Cornish immigrants who believed Tommyknockers, mischievous gnome or goblin-like beings, lived in the mines and were responsible for the knocking sounds.

However, Perkins said that this sound could’ve come from mining operations in other shafts.

Most notably, Perkins said Tommyknockers were known to pull small pranks on miners, like moving tools and taking miners’ lunches. Other times, the legend was said to play a bigger part in the mining industry.

Perkins said there were accounts of Tommyknockers giving miners information about when they were about to hit a lucrative vein, and scholars believed the story transformed into a superstition when mining became more industrialized, and safety deteriorated.

Tommyknockers were also believed to be guardians of the mines, sometimes known as the ghosts of past miners who warned workers by “knocking” and giving warnings to evacuate.

Perkins said it also wasn’t uncommon for miners to save the last bite of their lunches as an offering for the knockers.

“Stories such as the exploits of Tommyknockers were probably also a way of passing the time when other entertainment opportunities were limited both in the mines and during off hours,” said Perkins.

While mining and searching for gems in Colorado isn’t nearly as popular, there is still talk of the Tommyknockers. There’s even a bar named after the creatures, Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub in Idaho Springs

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