44mi/71km west of Colorado Springs, at a height of 10,000ft/3,000m, is the old gold-diggers' town of Cripple Creek (which can be reached by all-terrain vehicles from the Gold Camp Road). In the 1890s there was a swarming population of over 10,000 gold prospectors; nowadays Cripple Creek has no more than 600 inhabitants.
Butte Opera House in Cripple Creek offers year-round live professional theater, musical entertainment and classic melodrama. The grand Opera House was built in the 1890's and has seen a number of makeovers. In 1999, the town of Cripple Creek began extensive renovations that were completed in 2000. The Butte Opera House received fresh paint, Victorian-era wallpaper, and period chandeliers.
The Cripple Creek District Museum is located in the original Midland-Terminal Railroad Depot at Bennett and Fifth Streets, the gateway to Cripple Creek. Five historic buildings, including the 1894 Colorado Trading & Transfer Co. building, the 1895 Midland Terminal Railroad Depot, a turn of the century Assay Office and two vintage cabins are filled with thousands of gold rush era exhibits.
Hours:
May 15 to October 15: 10am-5pm
October 16 to May 14: 10am-4pm; Closed: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
Tips: Pet friendly facility.
Disability Access: Full facilities for persons with disabilities.
Visitors can take an interesting excursion through the area on a steam train of the Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad.
Address: Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad, Box 459, Cripple Creek, CO 80813-0459, United States
Phone: 1 (719) 689-2640, Fax: 1 (719) 689-3256
Mollie Kathleen Gortner discovered the gold mine on September 9th, 1891. She became the first woman in the camp to strike a gold claim in her own name. The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine offers free tours that descend 1,000 feet into the mineshaft to take visitors back in time. Find out what life and work where like for the Hard Rock Miners. Antique mining tools and artifacts are on display.
Address: Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, 9388 Highway 67, Box 339, Cripple Creek, CO 80813-0339, United States
Phone: 1 (719) 689-2466, Fax: 1 (719) 689-2070
Read More
Read Less
Cripple Creek
