Georgetown, CO

George and David Griffith established a camp in 1859 along Clear Creek during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. Silver was discovered in the area in 1864, and the town of Georgetown was incorporated on January 28, 1868. The town quickly grew to become the center of the mining industry in Colorado during the late 19th century, earning the nickname of "Silver Queen of Colorado". The Colorado Central Railroad built a line from Golden to Georgetown in the 1870s, further increasing the importance of the town. The town reached its peak in growth and prosperity during the silver boom of the 1880s, and its population grew to around 10,000. The town boasted churches, shops, a schoolhouse, fine hotels, and an opera house. As with all Colorado silver boom towns, the population of Georgetown rapidly dwindled following the collapse of the price of silver in 1893. Georgetown began its resurgence with the growth of the ski industry in the 1950s. Today it's a tourist destination complete with trendy shops, hotels, and a restaurant or two. The Hotel de Paris which has been converted into a museum is a popular tourist stop. The Georgetown-Sliver Plume Historic District was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1966. Georgetown is located just off of Interstate 70 about 45 miles west of Denver. I visited in August of 2024. I went with some friends and didn't have a lot of time tour the town, mainly sticking to sixth avenue.

Welcome to Georgetown

Georgetown Town Hall

Hotel De Paris 1875 (now a museum)

Create at My Stamping Table 507 Taos Street

Stores along Sixth Street

License to Buy

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Kneisel & Anderson Store 1892

The Happy Cooker Restaurant

Happy Cooker Restaurant

U.S. Post Office

John Tomay Memorial Library 1924

Georgetown Loop Railroad

The Colorado Central Railroad completed track from Golden to Georgetown in 1877. The Georgetown, Breckenridge and Leadville Railway completed a narrow gauge loop from Georgetown to Silver Plume in 1884. The loop connected to the larger Colorado Central line and was used extensively in teh 1880s to haul silver ore from the mines at Silver Plume. Following the collapse of the silver boom 1893, the Colorado and Southern Railway took over the line and operated it for passengers and freight until 1938. The loop eventually became the Goergetown Loop Railroad operating as a tourist attraction. The railroad runs between Georgetown and Silver Plume over a 4.5 mile route that gains 640 feet in elevation. The train ride begins at the Devil's Gate Boarding Area in Georgetown, just off Interstate 70.