Courtesy of Craig Hensel

No expense was spared when Horace Tabor built Leadville’s iconic opera house in 1879 for the hefty price tag of $40,000, making it one of the costliest structures in Colorado history. This was because its construction materials were not available in Leadville and had to be brought up by wagons—not an easy task when Leadville sits at an elevation of 10,200 feet!

Regardless, the opera house was completed in record time and gained the reputation as the grandest theater between St. Louis and San Francisco. At the height of its glory, the theater featured 880 red plush seats and thick curtains depicting the Royal Gorge. Since then, the Tabor Opera House has hosted many notable talents, including boxer Jack Dempsey, author Oscar Wilde, and magician Harry Houdini.

Visit the Tabor Opera House late May through September for performances and tours of this elegant building.

For more information, visit www.TaborOperaHouse.net.

Tabor Opera House
308 Harrison Ave
(719) 486-8409