If they made a movie about early mining towns, Georgetown Colorado could be the star. It's so well preserved that if it weren't for the cars, it'd be hard to tell if you were in the right century. An active historical society sees that it stays that way, and the Georgetown-Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District recalls the days of the silver boom in this area, located just 45 minutes west of Denver. You'll find artifacts from the era preserved at the Hotel de Paris, now a museum, and see how the well-to-do lived at historic Hamill House Museum.
Once the third-largest town in Colorado, it is now home to slightly more than 1,000 residents. But on weekends, its capacity overflows with visitors who want to shop, sightsee, have lunch or spend the night at a Victorian bed-and-breakfast inn.
The Georgetown Loop Railroad is a major attraction here, and takes visitors on a round trip narrow gauge steam train ride from Georgetown to nearby Silver Plume and back, with an optional stop for a tour of the Lebanon Silver Mine.
Near town is the breathtaking Guanella Pass Road, which at its 11,600-foot summit might literally leave you panting. If wildlife watching is your passion, stop at the Georgetown Wildlife Viewing Area for a glimpse of one of the hundreds of bighorn sheep living in the area.
Clear Creek County Tourism Bureau - Georgetown
2060 Miner Street
P.O. Box 100
Idaho Springs, CO 80452
303-567-4660 |
