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08 June 2018

A Drive Through History With The Most Historic Towns Colorado

By Walter Graham


It is no secret that it took a while before Colorado was admitted to the Union. It is often regarded as a new state in American culture owing to the fact that it was the 38th state to join the union in 1876. Nevertheless, it is a state rich in history. Here are some of the most historic towns Colorado.

If documented records are anything to go by, the oldest town within the state is San Luis. It was established in 1851 by a group of Tao settlers. Initially, it was considered as being within the territory of New Mexico. However, its demarcation was restructured in 1861, officially making it part of Colorado.

At the turn of 1858, another town named Boulder was started. The years that followed its establishment saw the putting up of many buildings within its surroundings, with some of them being schools. A crucial railroad was also constructed during the same period.

Today, Leadville is largely known to be a popular mountain destination amongst Coloradoans. Its first inhabitants were miners looking to exploit supposed gold reserves. It was originally christened Oro City, the local word for gold at the time. The miners first started streaming in at the turn of the gold rush in 1859.

Nevertheless, the miners never found the gold they were looking for and most of them deserted the town thereafter. It would not take the remaining settlers long to discover a new mineral. They discovered the presence of silver within the lead based mineral cerussite, hence the name Leadville.

Another noteworthy settlement is Idaho Springs. An extensive gold reserve was discovered in it when the gold rush was at its peak. The largest mill that was used then, the Argo, is still on site. Its key function was to mine and process gold.

The town of Como also holds a great deal of significance in American history. It was christened as such owing to the origins of its original settlers who were coal miners. The settlers arrived from Como in Italy in 1879. During the height of its mining years, it housed a large depot for the Pacific, South Park and Denver railroad. The original roadhouse still stands in its place just as it did in the past.

Black Hawk is an interestingly historic settlement as well. Like many other urban settlements in Colorado, its development is largely credited to the gold rush. During its mining heydays, it produced copious amounts of gold ore. Original settlers arrived in 1859 and primarily made their living out of mining. After most of the gold deposits were exhausted, many of them left.

These days, it is renowned for its gambling spots. The gambling boom kicked off in 1991 and has never slowed down. Central City, also renowned for gambling, lies close to Black Hawk. A visit to these places will certainly quench your thirst for knowledge and give you a feel of what life was like in the past.




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