Leadville - Colorado Ghost Town

LEADVILLE

NAME: Leadville
COUNTY: Lake
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 5
CLIMATE: Cold winter with snow, mild summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Summer

COMMENTS: On S.R. 24.
REMAINS: Many original buildings.

At the juncture of highways 21 and 94 is the city of Leadville. By no means a ghost town except by the definition "a shadowy semblance of its former self", Leadville has a storied history equal to any early mining town anywhere. Known as the Silver King of Colorado, the story of Horace Tabor is the story of Leadville. The early discoveries of gold did very little to support Tabor and other first settlers of Leadville. What they didn't realize was the real bonanza lay in the heavy sands containing lead and silver. These merely got in the way and were discarded as worthless. Tabor had taken on partners and it was they who found what would be the famous "Little Pittsburg Mine. In no more than 2 months, the mine was earning just under $100,000 a month and Leadville became a boomtown. Soon, Tabor was many times a millionaire. His income was more than $4 million a year. He had disposed of his partnership holdings but owned many mines by himself. His favorite was the Matchless Mine which put $2,000 a day into his pockets. But, Tabor had a problem. No matter the amount of his income, he spent more than he had. The result was predictable. One by one, his mines were sold to pay creditors and other indebtedness. Tabor died a few years later in Denver. He was in his early 70s. Leadville has much to see which will give the visitor "a shadowy semblance of its former self." Submitted by Henry Chenoweth. Leadville Courtesy Dolores Steele Leadville Courtesy Dolores Steele Leadville Courtesy Dolores Steele Leadville Cemetery Courtesy Dolores Steele Leadville Courtesy Dolores Steele Leadville Courtesy Dolores Steele	Leadville circa 1882 Courtesy U.S. Geological Survey Leadville Courtesy Dolores Steele Leadville Courtesy Dolores Steele Silver Dollar Saloon Courtesy Dolores Steele Leadville Courtesy Dolores Steele Tabor Oprea House Courtesy Dolores Steele Leadville Courtesy Dolores Steele Church Courtesy Dolores Steele Leadville school c. 1902 Courtesy Candace Cairo

At the juncture of highways 21 and 94 is the city of Leadville. By no means a ghost town except by the definition "a shadowy semblance of its former self", Leadville has a storied history equal to any early mining town anywhere. Known as the Silver King of Colorado, the story of Horace Tabor is the story of Leadville. The early discoveries of gold did very little to support Tabor and other first settlers of Leadville. What they didn't realize was the real bonanza lay in the heavy sands containing lead and silver. These merely got in the way and were discarded as worthless. Tabor had taken on partners and it was they who found what would be the famous "Little Pittsburg Mine. In no more than 2 months, the mine was earning just under $100,000 a month and Leadville became a boomtown. Soon, Tabor was many times a millionaire. His income was more than $4 million a year. He had disposed of his partnership holdings but owned many mines by himself. His favorite was the Matchless Mine which put $2,000 a day into his pockets.
But, Tabor had a problem. No matter the amount of his income, he spent more than he had. The result was predictable. One by one, his mines were sold to pay creditors and other indebtedness. Tabor died a few years later in Denver. He was in his early 70s. Leadville has much to see which will give the visitor "a shadowy semblance of its former self." Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.