Central City, Colorado

The Richest Square Mile On Earth

Today's Central City, Colorado is a popular tourist destination, especially rich in heritage & history from Colorado's gold rush and mining days but also offering modern amenities and limited stakes gambling casinos.

Central City wasn't always just a tourist destination. Central City used to be the most prominent city in the Colorado Territory, the center of mining, business & commerce, culture, and of Colorado society.

The Colorado Gold Rush

The Colorado Gold Rush began in 1858, leading prospective miners and settlers to discover modest gold deposits in the South Platte River and Cherry Creek in the modern-day Denver area.

In May of 1859, a major gold strike was found close to Clear Creek in the Rocky Mountains, and Central City was born. By July over 10,000 people lived in the new town of Central City and the surrounding areas.

By the end of 1859, between $1-1/2 & $2 million in gold was estimated as having been discovered, and the region quickly became known as "The Richest Square Mile On Earth".

Most of the people retreated to lower elevations during the winter--but they'd be back. By the summer of 1860, an estimated 60,000 people lived in and around Central City, fueled by even more gold strikes made throughout the winter, including reports of a six-pound gold nugget being found.

As the easy pickins in the creeks and valleys dried up, the population stabilized at much more reasonable numbers, helped by many men heading back east to fight in the Civil War. Those now-depleted surface deposits were accurate indications of rich veins underground, and the real work of hard rock mining began.

Mini economic booms would occur over the years as technologies and infrastructure changed mining conditions, especially when the railroad came from Denver, and when a smelting company successfully began operations in nearby Black Hawk, so gold ore could be refined close to the mines for easier transportation to Denver.

Central City's Heyday

By 1870, the population of the area was about 4,000, about the same as Denver. Central City was the most important city of the Colorado Territory, with commerce and business as well as the mining.

The Teller House Hotel (which still stands today) was built in 1872 and was regarded as the finest hotel west of the Mississippi.

The fire of 1873 awakened the town to the dangers of having built most of Central City of wood, and all new buildings in the business district were required to use other materials. Alas and alack--too little, and too late!

In 1874, fire wiped out most of the business district. Major fireproof buildings like the Teller House helped prevent the spread to other areas of town. Central City was rebuilt using brick and stone.

Many colorful personalities of Colorado lived there, including Horace and Baby Doe Tabor, Doc Holliday, and "Unsinkable" Molly Brown. The Opera House attracted international performers like the Barnum & Bailey Circus, Oscar Wilde, Buffalo Bill, and Harry Houdini. The Central City Opera House welcomed kings, presidents, princes, and many other important people of the era.

When Colorado was admitted to the US as a state in 1876, Central City lost its bid to become the State Capital of Colorado by only one vote, to Denver. In 1889, Central City became the first city in the US to electrify all outdoor street lights, and was one of the first towns to have telegraph & telephone service.

The Changing Fortunes Of The 1900's

In the early 1880's, Central City's prominence in Colorado began a slow decline, as Denver and Colorado Springs began to rise in importance.

Commerce, business, and tourism interests began to shift to the plains of Colorado.

Denver, "The Queen City", took advantage of its geographical position to become a transportation and communication hub. Colorado Springs deservedly developed an international reputation as a travel destination and resort area. Floods in Central City took their toll. Buildings were dismantled, and the building materials shipped to Denver and other plains cities for use in construction there.

Gold production declined for a variety of reasons after 1900, and population steadily declined, bottoming out at a few hundred in the entire area in the 1950s.

The re-opening of the Central City Opera House in 1932 began the tourist trade as a factor in the local economy, but most Colorado tourists bypassed the old mining towns in favor of other Colorado destinations.

In the 1980s, Central City recognized that other attractions in Colorado were taking tourism away from Central City, and saw this as a critical problem. Steps began to be taken.

In 1990, limited stakes gambling was approved by Colorado voters for Central City, Black Hawk, & Cripple Creek, and a revitalization was underway. Gambling revenue to the state government--taxes--was used primarily to fund historic preservation statewide, including Central City.

Black Hawk was closer to the main highways from Denver, so Central City watched Black Hawk get the lion's share of casinos and development. Initially seen as a negative outcome, this has proven to be a silver lining, as Central City's heritage & history was not submerged by the casino & gambling interests. A lot of local culture remains.

In 2004, completion of a short and direct four-lane highway from nearby I-70 places Central City squarely back on the map.

Today's Central City And Its Attractions

Today's Central City is an amazing mix of Colorado history combined with modern entertainment, amenities, & activities.

Central City is part of the Central City - Black Hawk National Historic Landmark District, and much of the town's historic character has been preserved, even as casinos exist in the town.

Victorian buildings abound and house fine restaurants, galleries, emporiums & shops, and bed & breakfast establishments. Historic tours and museums, including mining tours, deliver an experience of life in Central City's heyday.

The Teller House (with it's famous "face on the floor") and the Opera House offer traditional theatrical venues for plays and opera, the Upstage Theatre Center adds comedy, improv, & concerts. Festivals and celebrations happen throughout the summer months.

The surrounding hills have many historic cemeteries, which draw many hundreds of visitors during summer weekend days.

Central City is located 35 miles west of Denver in the Rocky Mountains, at an elevation of 8,496 feet.

Main Street Central will tell you all about attractions and things to do in Central City. The Colorado Adventure Guide encourages you to visit their web site.