Cripple Creek

Mention Cripple Creek or Victor, and one thing comes to mind: gold. Once considered the greatest gold camp on earth, mining in a lesser form continues today.

In the early 1890s, more than 500 gold mines were established in this region, and 50,000 people were in the middle of last great gold rush in the lower 48.

Today, the sister towns make the best of their heritage, offering an endless list of gold-related activities including museums, gold-rush festivals, gold panning opportunities and tours of both abandoned and active gold mining operations.

The towns are located along the Gold Belt Scenic and Historic Byway and can be reached from both Cañon City and Colorado Springs. Check your map before taking off, though. Some of the roads may be non-paved or best suited for 4WD. (From Colorado Springs, it's a gorgeous and relaxing drive.)

After two devastating fires in 1896, the town decided to go brick. In April of that year, a fire was started in the Red Light District by a dancer who got in a fight with her boyfriend and knocked over a kerosene lantern. The eastern half of the town burned, both businesses and homes.

Three days later, a hotel cook started a grease fire. It burned what was left of the town, including even the reconstruction that had started days before. No wonder they went with brick.

The Cripple Creek Heritage Center is state-of-the-art, and its facade is representation of not only the old and new buildings of the town, but also of the entrance to a gold mine. The heritage center is located just outside of town on Highway 67.

The roughly seven miles between Victor and Cripple Creek contain scattered remnants of Anaconda, a once thriving gold mining community. A steam train in Cripple Creek takes tourists on a 45-minute informative ride to this area. The next few shots were taken in the Anaconda area.

And then there's Victor. They say it's coming back, but this bed of flowers was honestly the only positive and cheery sight I saw in the whole, sad little town of less than 500 people. In its heyday it was known as the City of Mines because the largest and richest mines of the Cripple Creek district were closest to Victor. This town, too, experienced a major fire in its early years, but rebuilt, mostly in brick. Its lowest point was actually in more recent years, in the year 2000, but there are a couple of local mines that provide revenue for the town. As well, the local community of businesses are helping in its revival.

All things seem more dreary when the clouds roll in, and so the impression I received of the town could have come partly from that. However, the following pictures will show the poverty that exists in this town.