Black Hawk Colorado

The city of Black Hawk, Colorado is located in Gilpin County, and is at the same time, both one of the smallest populated cities in Colorado and one of the most popular. It’s a small historic mining town which was founded during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush of 1859. The sister city, Central City is close by and was also settled at the same time. The town is on the north fork of Clear Creek and Gregory Gulch, which was named for the man who started the boom and began an population expansion that numbered into the thousands. The Bobtail Lode was one vein discovered in June of 1859, and continued being mined for a number of years. In 1868, the first successful Colorado ore smelter was built in Black Hawk which enabled miners to continue hardrock mining to extract gold from the sulfide ore. Due to that success, Black Hawk became a center for processing ore and was known as the City of Mills.

More Town Facts

Region: Front Range	County: Gilpin
Latitude: 39.803149	Longitude: -105.492265	Elevation: 8,537 ft (2,602 m)

Much of the history of Central City can be echoed in the Black Hawk story, but more recently in an effort to revitalize the economy, Black Hawk got an upper hand in a competition for gambling revenue. When the state of Colorado approved and legalized casino gaming in 1990, the highway that brought the newest generation of fortune hunters passed Black Hawk before arriving at Central City, and so they got first chance to welcome the gamblers. The town of Black Hawk also has less restrictions on building heights than neighboring Central City, and so great and upscale casinos such as the 33-story Ameristar Hotel & Casino have been constructed. The trade-off to the town of Black Hawk for the additional revenue and tourism has been the deconstruction of the actual historic buildings of the area. The appearance was somewhat retained with storefronts and facades to recreate the time period. The original 19th century feeling as well as the historic architecture has been preserved however, just a mile away in Central City.

Current Black Hawk Colorado Weather Forecast

Black Hawk Local Attractions

Mountain City Historic Park – is known for having many casinos and a large variety of seasonal attractions. Against a backdrop of being a distinct old west gold mining town with restored old buildings, an active historical society museum, and several historic mining attractions, you can see back to the 1800′s.
Central City Opera - is the fifth oldest opera company in the United States. The Opera House, originally built in 1878 by Welsh and Cornish miners, has been restored to its Victorian splendor and upgraded for contemporary patrons. The city was once known for it’s famous performers and still holds performances today, including a summer opera festival.
Golden Gate Canyon State Park -Near Black Hawk and Central City is one of the West’s most scenic state parks: Golden Gate Canyon. The park consists of 14,000 acres of forests, meadows, and mountain peaks, and includes the famous Panorama Point, where visitors can look out on amazing vistas and Rocky Mountain beauty.
Thomas House Museum – Revival frame residence was originally constructed in 1874 around an the entrance to a mine. The Thomas house remains in the same condition as when the Thomas family lived here. Come see what life was like for some in the late 1800′s.
Gilpin County Museum – The Gilpin County Historical Museum celebrates Central City as it was in its boom. The annual “Lou Bunch Day” each summer honors the memory of the town’s most famous madame and gives everyone a chance to kick up their heels.

Of course there are lots of other things to do and see in the area! Click on any of the links below to find more activities