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Mini Tour
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by Bruce Caughey
The lone mile of pavement between Black Hawk and Central City unearths many keys to understanding what has long been known as the "richest square mile on earth." Our tour first zeros in on this mile stretch, and these two historic mining towns, before spinning out along some of Colorado's best mountain routes—none of which is far from metro Denver.
John H. Gregory made Colorado's first major gold strike midway between these towns on May 6, 1859, at a place known as Gregory Gulch. Some estimates point to a half-billion dollars worth of gold coming out of the mountains in these parts, which fueled frenzied development and more than a few overlapping mining claims.
The lucky and hardworking sometimes found a luxurious lifestyle, but according to New York Tribune editor Horace Greeley, who came to research the area in the early days, "the entire population sleep[s] in tents or under pine boughs." Many who hit it big or found jobs supplying the mining industry eventually were able to live in style, as indicated by gingerbread houses with ornate décor and foundations chipped into the steep, denuded mountainsides surrounding the towns. The area is definitely worth a look around because so many surprises lie around the next bend in the road. For a time, Central City rivaled Denver as the most important and populous town in the territory. (Colorado did not become a state until 1876.)
Today, the gold has shifted a bit down-valley to the town of Black Hawk. After a long, gradual decline of both historic towns, Colorado voters approved limited stakes gambling in 1990. Much to the chagrin of Central City, though, many day-trippers skip the mile-long jaunt to Central City, instead stopping at gleaming, new casinos improbably wedged into the narrow valley floor around Black Hawk. The massive blasting away of mountainsides there proves that, just like the miners before them, the casino interests will do almost anything to carve out new opportunities for wealth.
Let's begin in Black Hawk, where you will find casinos embracing various faraway themes. You can find everything from the tropical Isle of Capri to New Orleans' style Mardi Gras. The many casinos come outfitted with chiming, clanging slot machines, a phalanx of card dealers or—for those a bit afraid of green felt tables—video poker. All offer some variation on dining opportunities, and if you look around a bit you can find real deals on food ($3.99 prime rib, for example) along with some Las Vegas-style, all-you-can-possibly-eat buffets. The economy here seems to be humming with new construction.
Smaller casinos and some mom-and-pop operations still try to carry the day at Central City, but so many have closed up lately that the town is beginning to resemble its wistful, pre-gaming look of mostly empty storefronts. Even so, this town has held tenaciously onto some historical icons, most notably the Central City Opera House, which will embark on its 71st season this summer (late June through mid- August; 303-292-6700).
Next door to the elegant stone opera house, you can see the 1873 vintage Teller House Hotel, which played host to President Ulysses S. Grant in its opening year. According to the WPA Guide to 1940s Colorado, Grant walked from the stagecoach to the hotel on a path of silver bricks (although that did not deter small boys from throwing snowballs at Grant's plug hat). Now closed, the hotel's famous Face on the Barroom Floor-painted by newspaperman Herndon Davis-still gazes up at the ceiling in an empty room.
Nobody has locked down the area's 10 cemeteries. Take a quick trip just west of Central City on Eureka Street to walk among the plots, some replete with ornate Victorian era tombstones. Other Central City attractions include the Gilpin County Historical Museum (303-582-5283; 228 E. High St.), with many artifacts located in the stone schoolhouse, and an interesting collection of one local family's belongings at the Thomas House Museum (303-582-5283; 209 Eureka St.). Call ahead for hours.
From Black Hawk/Central City, drive a connecting southerly route to Idaho Springs on a scenic, nine-mile journey over Oh My God Road, which twists its way through Virginia Canyon. The maintained dirt road passes by Russell Gulch, another 1859-vintage gold strike about midway to Idaho Springs. Green Russell and his large party of miners made a chunk of money panning gold here, before Russell decided to return home to Georgia in 1862 to join the Confederate Army.
This road is not quite as fear-inducing as the name might indicate, but you should be aware of some steep drop-offs. Oh, and when you park for that nice little roadside picnic, be careful about wandering far afield due to the dangers of open mine shafts. One of the fascinating aspects of this trip is seeing mining remnants and ore dumps along the way, some dating to the 1860s.
Another great route from Black Hawk/Central City traces north along the famous Peak to Peak Highway (Hwy. 119) on a nationally designated Scenic and Historic Byway. You can take it all the way to Estes Park on a gorgeous, rolling, high-altitude route, but for this trip we will stop at the historic supply town of Nederland. Along the way, pass by Rollinsville, where a spur leads up Moffat Road, paralleling South Boulder Creek to the East Portal of the 6.2-mile railroad Moffat Tunnel.
Back on 119, continue to the entry points for Golden Gate Canyon State Park with its colorful wildflowers, verdant meadows and aspen groves. Open year round, here you can find a great camping spot or hiking trail. Or, of course, you can take the most direct route back to the Front Range by heading southeast on Hwy. 119 down to Hwy. 6 and through pretty Clear Creek Canyon to Golden.
Good luck finding some of your own rich memories in this fascinating part of the state!
Bruce Caughey is coauthor with Dean Winstanley of The Colorado Guide and coauthor with Doug Whitehead of Colorado's Best.
Make it a Weekend
AAA tip: Absolutely anyone can appreciate the lively history of this area with so many visible abandoned mines and diggings. To see the inner workings of a mine, stop in Idaho Springs at the Edgar Experimental Mine (303-567-2911) or the Phoenix Mine (303-567-4382).Don't miss: A visit to the legendary Central City Opera. Most visitors truly enjoy the acoustically perfect setting and the professional voices at the nation's fifth oldest opera company. The Central City Opera is housed in a stone building that survived a devastating fire in 1874. The summer season runs from late June through mid-August. Call 303-292-6700 for information and tickets.
Recommended: Leave your kids at home for an overnight trip to this adult destination. Book a room at the Lodge Casino in Black Hawk and you will have easy access to the casinos and a leisurely chance to explore the area, without navigating any twisting two-lane highways in darkness. Also while there, take the opportunity to head up the roads clinging to the steep hillsides surrounding Central City and see beautiful Victorian homes and gardens up close while enjoying a perilous view over the town.
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