Leadville Colorado History and Recreation

Leadville Colorado at an elevation of 10,152 ft., is the highest city in the United States. Incorporated in 1878 with a current population of 2,700.

This city started as a silver mining camp and grew to be one of the largest Colorado cities, with over 40,000 people living here in the 1880's. Leadville Colorado also claimed to have made more millionaires in a ten year period than anywhere else in the world. Many lost it just as fast due to scams or gambling in this wicked mining town.

Heavy, dark, sand made gold mining difficult as piles of this unwanted, waste material began to heap up everywhere.

Once learned that this material was in fact, loaded with silver and lead, gold did not seam as important. Silver then became the mineral of choice and Leadville began to grow rapidly. Deposits were discovered near the current city location and growth was quick.

Many Victorian style homes and buildings were built and designed by Horace Tabor, a stonemason, architect and mine owner. There is much history regarding H.A.W. Tabor and his wife Baby Doe Tabor, both very relevant figures in Colorado history. Sadly, they both died broke, with Baby Doe Tabor's last years spent living inside the Matchless Mine that her husband had told her to hang onto.

Doc Holiday moved here in 1883 after the famous gun fight at the O.K. Corral. In 1884 Holliday shot and killed an ex Leadville Colorado policeman while fighting over a $5 dept that Holliday owed. Despite evidence against Holliday, the jury found him not guilty of anything, and let him off. So much for old time justice.

After the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed in 1893 silver demand died and Leadville turned to mining lead and zinc. Mining continued till the closing of the Climax mine in the 1980's where 75% if the worlds molybdenum had been mined.

During World War II soldiers from Camp Hale would come for recreation but only after the city agreed to stop prostitution. In 1943 the cities Municipal Airport was taken over by the United States Airforce and changed to Leadville Army Airfield. After the war this air field was turned back to the local government for civilian use. At 9,927 ft altitude this field was hard for planes to take off from, and with only 3,000 people in the area, it was dismantled in 1949.

The Leadville Colorado Historic District was designated in 1961 and has helped preserve this beautiful town. Included are 67 mines east of town and many buildings like the Tabor Opera House, City Hall, Annunciation Church, Tabor Grant Hotel, St. Georges Church and more. Compared with most period towns in Western Colorado Leadville's main street seems quit prominent with it's large stone buildings and wide street.

After so much mining in this area the Environmental Protection Agency designated some of the old mining sites as Superfund Sites and commenced cleanup. This helped greatly as there was much contamination of soil and water.

Today this town depends on tourism with many coming for outdoor recreation like hunting, fishing, mountain biking and runners, many athletes come to train because of the high altitude and rugged mountains. Many races are held each year like the Leadville trail 100 Series.

There is, like many other towns in Colorado, festivals like Boom Days and Crystal Carnival so tourists and locals can celebrate the towns past. This town is also known as "Parade Capital U.S.A.".

Get a map here for directions and different area views.

For more information go to the Leadville Colorado Chamber of Commerce.

Look here for more information on Western Colorado Towns

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