The Many Mines of Leadville
So much of Leadville’s fame, fortunes, and tragedies stem from its prolific gold and silver strikes. Its economic ebbs and flows mirrored mining activities and its current popularity as a…
The Leadville Heritage Museum and Gallery
Leadville’s well-recognized and historic red brick building wasn’t always the Heritage Museum and Gallery. Built in 1904, it was originally the city’s first library, a building famously funded by Andrew…
It’s Always a Good Time in Leadville
Leadville celebrates its history, environment, and love of a good old party through several annual festivals and events. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is. If it’s snowing…
The National Mining Hall of Fame & Museum
Located within an 1899 Victorian school building (Leadville’s original high school), the National Mining Hall of Fame & Museum has been hailed as “the Smithsonian of the Rockies” and “the…
A Time Line of Leadville’s History
Leadville has a vast history rooted in mining and the outdoors. Following are key events that have occurred since gold was first discovered in 1860. 1860 – Abe Lee Discovers…
Art, Dining, Breweries Oh My!
After a day of playing outside or exploring the relics of Leadville’s past, it’s time to relax by perusing galleries, getting a bite to eat, or enjoying a pint of…
The Evergreen Cemetery: A Record of Leadville’s Past
The Evergreen Cemetery was established in 1879 after Leadville’s original cemetery was deemed unsuitable. It’s still used today and is divided into sections where members of various organizations and families…
The Hopemore Underground Mine Tour
Experience life as a miner with the Hopemore Underground Mine Tour, one of the last mine tours available in Colorado. Owner, and former underground mine worker, Bob Calder, takes visitors…
Disc Golf: Your Newest Passion
When all it takes is a disc to get started, disc golf has become a very popular sport for people of all ages and abilities. With close to 200 courses…
The Famous Love Story of Horace and Baby Doe Tabor
Elizabeth McCourt, born in Wisconsin in 1854, was noted for being extremely charismatic and beautiful. In 1877, she married Harvey Doe. Together, they moved to Central City to work the…
Leadville’s BBQ and Brews Festival
Catch some rays while sipping freshly brewed beer and eating smoked barbecue at Leadville’s BBQ and Brews Festival. For two days at the end of each June, Leadville closes off…
The House with the Eye Museum
It’s hard to miss the “eye”—a stained glass window tucked under an arched eve—that makes the House with the Eye Museum the most curious piece of architectural history in town….
The Ghost Towns of Leadville and Beyond
Prospectors seduced by the calls of gold and silver raced to Colorado in hopes of striking it rich. Following them were the merchants, proprietors, madams, and gamblers. Together, these new…
Molly May: Leadville’s Most Famous Madam
Molly May, one of the most influential brothel owners in the west, was born in 1850. In her twenties, she traveled as a prostitute with a performance act from Cheyenne,…
Cross-Country Ski through Leadville’s Winter Wonderland
Elevate your appreciation for the environment and your surroundings with a cross-country ski on Leadville’s scenic, well-groomed trails. With 300 days of sunshine and plentiful snow, Leadville is Colorado’s premier…
Railroads Changed Leadville Forever
As word of the 1860’s gold discoveries in Leadville spread, boom towns rapidly sprang up, populations rose, and individual claims and large mining operations multiplied. Inevitably, railroads raced to construct…
The Scenic Byways of Colorado
Many of America’s most stunning drives can be found in Colorado. From their car, visitors can ascend some of the state’s highest points, cross fields of wild grasslands, skirt raging…
Con Artist Soapy Smith Gets His Start in Leadville
Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith was a con artist, gangster, crime boss, and saloon and gambling hall owner who rose to fame while in Denver from roughly 1879 to 1892. Though…
Three Peaks of Fun at Copper Mountain
Head over Fremont Pass for a great day of skiing at Copper Mountain. Not to be confused with neighboring Ski Cooper, Copper offers 2,465 acres of terrain, 23 lifts, and…
A Golf Course For Summer and Winter Sports
Tucked under Turquoise Lake, amid fir, spruce, and pine trees is the secluded and spectacular Mt. Massive Golf Course. With 360° views of the Sawatch, Collegiate, and Mosquito Mountain Ranges,…
The Wild Stories of Leadville
A host of vibrant characters has passed through Leadville, leaving stories of love, wealth, and vindication in their wake. The discoveries of gold and silver brought tens of thousands of…
Mountain Bike Among the Clouds
Colorado is paradise for the knobby-tired tribe in more ways than one. So much so, mountain bikers come from all parts of the globe to take advantage of Colorado’s world-renowned…
Gold and Silver Bring the Boom to Leadville
At the end of the California gold rush, some prospectors came to the eastern Rocky Mountains, hoping for the same kind of success. Placer gold was discovered in Cherry Creek…
Drive into the Sky on Independence Pass
Just south of Leadville is Independence Pass, which scales the Continental Divide from Twin Lakes to Aspen. While it’s part of the Top of the Rockies scenic byway, it’s also…