
Leadville Main Street
About Leadville
Leadville’s history is the stuff of legends. From the first miners who discovered gold in California Gulch in 1860 to the silver kings who followed like Horace Tabor and J.J. Brown, the city’s history is filled with intriguing stories. In 1961, the Leadville Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark, which includes 67 mines in the 20 square mile mining district east of the city. There are 70 square blocks of original Victorian architecture as well as 50 turn-of-the-century buildings in the city. Leadville is one of Colorado’s premiere heritage tourism destinations, and has more museums than any other city in Colorado. The City of Leadville has been a Department of Local Affairs Main Street Community since 2015, and a local affiliate member of the National Main Street Center- Main Street America. The mission is to encourage economic growth and historic preservation in downtown Leadville. With the history of Leadville in our hearts and the future on our minds, Main Street allows us to focus our efforts on developing a long-term vision for the city that outlives the mining industry while Lovin' On Leadville.
It’s the life force of our community where people visit to see familiar faces and enjoy the culture our businesses create. – Resident
Celebrating Main Street
During the month of May (Historic Preservation Month), Colorado Main Street and local programs ask residents and visitors about those downtown places - historic buildings, businesses, and public spaces - that matter most to them. The following are the top results for Leadville.

Zaitz Park
Zaitz Park. Click to expand.
Favorite Gathering Place

Murals and Little Free Library
Murals and Little Free Library. Click to expand.
Favorite Art

Tabor Opera House
Tabor Opera House. Click to expand.
Favorite Landmark

Melanzana
Melanzana. Click to expand.
Favorite Business

Boom Days
Boom Days. Click to expand.
Favorite Event
[Harrison Avenue is] the life force of our community where people visit to see familiar faces and enjoy the culture our businesses create. - Resident
OTHER FAVORITES ON MAIN STREET: LEADVILLE
Of course, there is more to Leadville than the top results! Below are some other favorites identified in the Celebrating Main Streets survey ...
Leadville Landmarks
Heritage Energy
Colorado Main Street has launched the Heritage Energy Pilot Project to offer interagency collaboration to combine quality historic preservation in Colorado Main Street districts with statewide energy goals. The Leadville Herald-Democrat was one of three buildings chosen for the pilot program.
When funding became available through SB21-252 to support efforts to support façade improvements and energy efficiency projects through Main Street: Open for Business grants, these pilot projects each received $250,000 to achieve these goals.
You can see the dramatic results here in Leadville!
Historic Tour
Leadville, a Victorian-era mining town, was once home to 30,000 residents. In its heyday, it saloons, dance halls, and brothels. Thanks to the profiting gold and silver mines, there was also a lot of wealth, which afforded the construction of hotels, Victorian mansions, and the Tabor Opera House.
70 square blocks of Leadville’s downtown were designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966. Since then, extensive preservation efforts have put much of the town’s rich history on display. With such notable structures as the Healy House, Heritage Museum, Delaware Hotel, and Tabor Home on the route, a historic walking tour of downtown Leadville is not to be missed.
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1
Ice Palace Park
Opening on January 3, 1896, the world’s largest palace of ice was built in Leadville. It contained a skating rink, grand ballroom, restaurant, and exhibition halls. It lasted only a few short months, closing in May 1896. This park commemorates the famed Ice Palace that was built just a few blocks away. The large lake you see in the distance to the northwest is Turquoise Lake (another beautiful place to take a walk).
2
Dexter Cabin and Healy House Museum
The three-story house on the southeast corner of Harrison and Tenth is the Healy House. Originally a two-story structure, the Healy House was built in 1878 by August R. Meyer, a mining engineer from St. Louis who established the first ore sampling works in Leadville. Sold in 1881, the house eventually became the property of Daniel Healy, who leased it as a boardinghouse from 1897 to 1902. In 1898 a third story was added to accommodate more boarders, most of them schoolteachers. The Dexter Cabin, an exclusive poker club for wealthy gentlemen, sits next door to the Healy House. The Healy House and Dexter Cabin are public museums operated by the Colorado Historical Society during the summer months.
3
Heritage Museum
The brick building at the northeast corner of Harrison and 9th is the Heritage Museum . Built as the Carnegie Library, it opened in 1904, two years after the cornerstone date of 1902. It served as the library for the area until 1971 when it was turned into a local museum. It is open during the summer months and houses a scale model of the Leadville Ice Palace, an excellent display of 10th Mountain Division memorabilia and various Leadville artifacts.
4
National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum
The large red brick building at 120 West 9th houses the Federally Chartered National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum . The building was originally the Leadville High School built in 1900. The museum is open daily.
5
Leadville City Hall
At the northeast corner of West 8th and Harrison is Leadville City Hall. Built in 1905 as a federal building, it was used as the US Post Office until 1973. As the story goes, the postmaster used the small attic windows to spy on his employees as they delivered mail around town. Note the plaque on the front of the building which denotes fallen lawmen. On display in the lobby is an antique Leadville popcorn wagon. You are welcome to step inside this building.
6
Golden Burro Café
Built in 1898 by E.H. Dimick. Charlie Frey moved the Golden Burro here from 610 Harrison in 1945, put up the neon burro marquee and mid-century façade, and in 1958 expanded into the Brass Ass Saloon and banquet room. The lounge features the original 1958 V-shaped bar. Now home of the Golden Burro Café.
7
Delaware Hotel Block
At the northeast corner of West 7th and Harrison Avenue sits the Delaware Hotel Block. Opening in October of 1886, the Delaware Block cost an estimated $60,000 and is named in honor of the home state of the three brothers who built it. A few years after the building was built, the entire lower floor became a dry goods store, Crews-Beggs. It operated here until 1980. Undergoing extensive renovation in 1992, the entire building is now the Delaware Hotel with two restaurants
8
Annunciation Church
Look up East 7th Street to the church with the tall spire. Annunciation Church sits on the southwest corner of Poplar and East 7th. Started in 1879, the church was dedicated on New Year’s Day, 1880. The steeple is a masterpiece of intricate carpentry, a web-like interweaving of timbers built to last for centuries. A great bell which weighs 3,026 pounds is 11,000 feet above sea level. It is called “St. Mary” and was installed in 1885. The church and rectory cost $40,000. The prominent “Unsinkable Molly Brown” was married in the church on September 1, 1886, and the funeral services for Baby Doe Tabor were held here in 1935. In every photo of Leadville, the spire is a directional landmark. The church is generally unlocked and you are welcome to visit being careful not to interrupt any services which may be taking place
9
Tabor Home
The Tabor Home was built by H. A. W. Tabor about 1877 at 512 Harrison Avenue and moved to its present location at in 1879. Property on Harrison Avenue had become too valuable for residence lots and needed to be occupied by blocks of business. Horace and Augusta maintained their Leadville home until 1881 when Tabor moved to the Windsor Hotel to be close to his latest mistress, "Baby Doe." The Tabor triangle grew into a national scandal and finally ended in divorce and Tabor's marriage to "Baby Doe." The public was in support of Augusta and Tabor never regained his former prestige. Augusta, Leadville's "First Lady," was a remarkable person. She had great courage, super human endurance and unusual business acumen. A dozen years after the sensational divorce which broke her heart, she died a millionaire. In that very same year, Horace A. W. Tabor was bankrupt. The Tabor Home is open Memorial Day to Labor Day.
10
Iron Building
Continue your tour by walking south on Harrison Avenue. Located on the southeast corner of 6th and Harrison is the Iron Building with a corner pediment with the name of Fearnley. It was built in 1893 amidst the collapse of the silver market. It is thought the name “Iron Building” either comes from the use of iron on the building or from the fact that the humble iron ore found in the Leadville mining district might be a saving grace after the fall of silver.
11
American National Bank
Located on the southeast corner of 5th and Harrison is the three story brick and sandstone bank building built in the Romanesque style. The building is 25 feet wide and 110 feet deep with a 17 foot tower of red sandstone. The corner tower is topped with a bell shaped metal painted dome. The building’s first occupant in 1892 was the American National Bank.
12
Breene Block
The southeast corner of 4th and Harrison is currently the Scarlet Lounge. The building was built in 1887 as the Breene Block named from Lt. Governor and State Treasurer of Colorado, Peter W. Breene, who provided the funding. Initially the first floor was occupied by Adolph Hirsch’s liquor store which did probably the largest volume of business in Western Colorado. His sales amounted to nearly $300,000 and his freight bill was $60,000 in 1888!
13
Hyman Block
The Hyman Block, built between 1885 and 1890 is where Doc Holliday shot (but did not kill) his last man!
14
Tabor Opera House
Opening on November 20, 1879, the Tabor Opera House is one of only a few “Tabor” associated building still standing in Colorado. Tabor was a shopkeeper who grubstaked a couple of miners who struck it rich. He became wealthy overnight. The divorce of his first wife, Augusta, and marriage to the beautiful Baby Doe is the well-known story of the Tabor Triangle. The Opera House was said to be the finest theater between St. Louis and San Francisco when it was built. It is open for tours during the summer months.
15
Silver Dollar Saloon
The saloon in the middle of this block is one of Leadville’s oldest establishments. Opening in 1883 in the Clipper Building, it was originally the Board of Trade Saloon. It has been the Silver Dollar since 1935. The majestic antique back bar made by the Brunswick Company and the original tile floor remain in use today.
16
George’s Episcopal Church
This church was built as a small replica of St. George’s Church in New York City. The cornerstone was laid September 15, 1880. The architectural features include hand-hewn beams and gothic arches of native timber, plaster walls, and unusual “tinted glass” windows. The windows were created using the technique of painting clear glass and glazing in a furnace.
17
Western Hardare
The Western Hardware Building was opened in August 1881 as the Manville and McCarthy Hardware. The store operated as a hardware store for over 100 years. It remains a perfect intact example of 19th century commercial architecture. A corner entrance with tall doors leads you inside where many of the original store fixtures including a long counter and wall of drawers are on display.
18
Lake County Courthouse
When the Lake County Courthouse was built in 1955, Leadville received the All-America City award from Look magazine in 1958 for being progressive - This building contributed to this status. The original courthouse was built in the middle of this block in 1880, partially burned in 1942 and was removed after the new courthouse was built.
19
Davis Drug
The building on the northwest corner of Harrison and 6th Street is an original 1897 clapboard commercial structure. Opened as a drug store and saloon, it was later know as Davis Drug from 1902 until 1943.
20
Tabor Grand Hotel
Built during the two year period of 1883 to 1885, this four story brick building was designed by noted architect of the period, George King. The hotel has had many names including the Maxwell, the Kitchen, and the Vendome. The newspaper of the day carried the following quote when the Hotel opened: “Leadville now has a hotel which in elegance of its appointments is second to none in the west and in which citizens and tourists will find all the luxuries and conveniences of the older cities.” The building was renovated and re-opened in 1992 with shops on the lower floor and apartments on the upper floors.
21
The Old Church
On the northwest corner of 8th and Harrison sits the Presbyterian Church, affectionately called “The Old Church” by locals. With its open Gothic-styled belltower, the church has been a landmark on Harrison Avenue since its impressive dedication ceremonies on December 22, 1889. the decorative glass sections of the windows are of various types, the most common being hand-painted glass of the Persian technique.
About Leadville Main Street
Mission:
Strengthening community connection through historic preservation, beautification and the activation of public spaces to support a thriving downtown.
As a historic city at 10,200 feet, Leadville on top of it all at two miles high with a rich history and authentic experience. I am truly honored to be a part of Leadville’s history! - Nancy Bailey, Leadville Main Street Manager