Central City & Black Hawk, CO Photos

The two closely situated gold & silver mining towns of Central City & Black Hawk started from an 1859 gold strike. Today the two towns have restored their Victorian buildings of which many are used as casinos. Central City is also noted for its 1878 opera house now used for an opera festival. Central City was at one time so wealthy, its citizens were able to build a sidewalk of silver bricks when President Ulysses S. Grant stayed at the Teller House Hotel in 1873. Grant chose not to walk on it, however, to avoid showing preference in a political debate of the time about gold versus silver monetary backing of currency. Gold eventually won.

Click thumbnail to enlarge. F11 to view website full screen.


Streetscape of Central City City Hall & Belvidere Theatre on Main Street. Central City, CO.	Belvidere Theatre. Central City, CO.	AOUW Building (1874 & 1898) started as a store then expanded for Ancient Order of United Workmen. Central City, CO.	Main Street streetscape against hills. Central City, CO.

Ignatz Meyer building (1874 & 1901) (Main St.) served as dry goods store, newspaper office, saloon & other functions over time. Central City, CO.	Rose Haydee building (1992 reproduction) (131 Main St.). Central City, CO.	Crest on Rose Haydee building. Central City, CO.	Iron front of Rose Haydee building by Mesker Brothers Iron Works of Evansville, IN. Central City, CO.

Harris Block with elaborate ironwork front. Central City, CO.	Harris Block facade details with ironwork front by Mesker Brothers Iron Works of Evansville, IN. Central City, CO.	Streetscape along Central City's Main Street. Central City, CO.	Former grocery store (now Visitor Center) (121 Main St.) & I.O.O.F. buildings on Main Street. Central City, CO.

I.O.O.F. building (123 Main St.). Central City, CO.	Hawley Merchandise Company Building (121 Main St.). Central City, CO.	Central City Elks Lodge (113 Main St.). Central City, CO.	Streetscape along Main Street with Harris Block. Central City, CO.

Dostal Block (1874) (118 Main St.) now Papone's Palace Casino. Central City, CO.	Coyote Creek Casino. Central City, CO.	Old Wells Fargo Express Office at north end of Main Street. Central City, CO.	Teller House Hotel (1872) (120 Eureka St.) where President Ulysses S. Grant stayed (1873). Central City, CO. On National Register.

Entrance to Teller House, location of town's first phone in 1879. Central City, CO.	Central City Opera House (1878) (124 Eureka St.). Central City, CO. On National Register.	Central City Opera House home of Opera festival. Central City, CO.	Central City Opera House with surrounding town & hills. Central City, CO.

Gilpin County Courthouse (1900) (203 Eureka St.). Central City, CO.	Victorian cottage (210 E High St.). Central City, CO.	St Paul's Church (1873) (226 E High St.). Central City, CO.	Steeple of St. Paul's Church. Central City, CO.

Gilpin History Museum (1870) (228 E High St.). Central City, CO.	Landscape of Central City from St. Mary's of the Assumption Catholic Church up to Coeur d'Alene mine. Central City, CO.	Former Colorado Central Rail Station, now a casino. Black Hawk, CO.	Colorado Central Railroad steam locomotive #77. Black Hawk, CO.

Lace House (1866) now isolated among casinos. Black Hawk, CO. Style: Carpenter Gothic.	Details of Lace House. Black Hawk, CO.	Heritage buildings on Gregory Street form front of casino. Black Hawk, CO.	Black Hawk Station casino. Black Hawk, CO.

Casino uses wild west architecture. Black Hawk, CO.	Remnants of old Black Hawk. Black Hawk, CO.	Durham ad preserved along with wild west atmosphere. Central City, CO.	Central City seen from "Oh My God" Road. Central City, CO.

"Oh My God" Road, so called because of its curves & steep drops. CO.	Rocky Mountains from "Oh My God" Road. CO.


See Also:	Gold & Silver Mining Towns of Colorado