Humberstone

On P-day this week we drove to a place called Humberstone, which is an abandoned mining town and now a tourist attraction.  They mined saltpeter, which is potassium nitrate and was used to make fertilizer, fireworks, gunpowder, etc.  The mines began in the 1800's and shut down about 1960 after Germany had invented something less expensive.  It's out near Pozo Almonte. 

We really liked looking at the toys the children made.  They'd take empty cans of sardines and extra wire and create cars and guns, things for a toy kitchen, and other things.  I guess children are the same the world over and throughout generations as well.

      Don't think I ever typed on anything this old but I do have memories of typing on super old typewriters!

We loved seeing their swimming pool!  They even had a grandstand.  

It seemed that all their needs were met for the hundreds that lived here including housing, a Catholic cathedral, a hotel, a doctor, and even a theater.