Gold and silver once came out of the mines in El Triunfo during the town’s heyday. The first mine was originally founded in the late 18th century by Manuel de Ocio. In 1878 the British El Progreso Mining Company took over the mine and brought prosperity to El Triunfo. At one point, El Triunfo was the largest town in Baja California Sur, with a population of over 10,000 people. When the mines closed in 1926, most of the people left town in search of jobs elsewhere and the town eventually became a mere shadow of its glory days.A trip to El Triunfo isn’t complete without a walk through the old mining grounds. Access to the area can be found on Calle Libertad (just head toward the tall smokestack). Here, visitors will find old mining equipment, brick ruins, and old smokestacks. The largest smokestack, “La Romana” is 35 meters tall and is rumored to be designed by Gustav Eiffel (of Eiffel tower fame).