The group had boarded the train when one of the chaperones asked if the kids knew which town they were in.

“Silver Plume,” a chorus of young voices responded.

The train departed, as 19 campers set off to discover what treasures — both physical and educational — might be beneath the surface of the earth. Along with little bits of gold, the campers discovered that had they been at the same site 150 years ago, they would’ve been working in the mine rather than visiting it.