Leadville’s history is the stuff of legends. From the first miners who discovered gold in California Gulch in 1860 to the silver kings who followed like Horace Tabor and J.J. Brown, the city’s history is filled with intriguing stories. The Lake County Public Library is probably the best single source for in-depth information.
In 1961 the Leadville Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark which includes 67 mines in the 20 square mile mining district east of the city. There are 70 square blocks of original Victorian architecture as well as 50 turn-of-the-century buildings in the city. Leadville is one of Colorado’s premiere heritage tourism destinations and has more museums than any other city in Colorado. One must-see place is Evergreen Cemetery which is the final resting place for 25,000 former residents.
For more information on our city’s fascinating history click the links below.