LEADVILLE MUSEUMS & TOURS
The history of Leadville is filled with dramatic stories of real people who made, and sometimes lost, fortunes in this frontier mountain town. Leadville is one of the most historic towns in all of Colorado, with six museums, a walking tour and a driving tour to give you the opportunity to enjoy the area's rich history and Victorian architecture. If you have kids or grandkids, they'll love our word search and coloring pages! Be sure to stop by the Leadville Lake County Visitor Center at 809 Harrison Avenue in downtown Leadville for maps, menus, brochures and information.
Healy House Museum and Dexter Cabin
912 Harrison Ave. Open May to October and for group tours.
(719) 486-0487
Glimpse life in a booming silver mining camp. Visit the plush 1870s log cabin built by James Dexter, Colorado's first millionaire. Tour the most lavish Victorian boarding house in Leadville, owned by Daniel Healy. Stroll through the heritage gardens or enjoy the view from the gazebo. This is Leadville's oldest museum.
The Heritage Museum
102 E. 9th St. Open May through October.
(719) 486-1878
Enjoy the story of Leadville's colorful past. See the mining and boomtown miscellany along with Victorian furniture of an exciting era of Western History. Displays include the Leadville Ice Palace Replica and 10th Mountain Division memorabilia from Camp Hale.
The Matchless Mine
1 1/4 miles east on E 7th St. Open May - September.
(719) 486-1229
The Matchless Mine was a cornerstone of the Tabor fortune. In the rags-to-riches-to-rags story, discover the lonely vigil of Senator Tabor's trophy wife, Baby Doe, who waited for the return of wealth until her body was found among the remnants of his empire.
National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum
120 W. 9th St. Open year-round.
(719) 486-1229
The National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum in Leadville, Colorado, is the premier showcase of American mining. It's filled with displays, mine replicas, artifacts, historic photographs and mining treasures. Walk through the underground hard rock mine replica, the prospector's cave, a model railroad chugging through a replica mining camp and many rooms containing specimens of gold and other minerals. Massive sculptures and murals grace the public areas and an excellent collection of hammers, drills and tools traces the history of mining technology.
Tabor Home
116 E. 5th St. Open Memorial Day to Labor Day. Call for hours.
(719) 486-3900 or (888) 532-3845
This was the home of Horace Tabor and his first wife, Augusta, until 1881. Originally built on Harrison Avenue, it was moved to 5th Street to make room for the Opera House. See the unique child's Murphy bed, family portraits and family furnishings.
Tabor Opera House
308 Harrison Ave. Open May to Oct. Closed Sunday.
(719) 486-8409
The largest and grandest opera house west of the Mississippi was built by strike-it-rich legend Horace Tabor in 1879. Eight hundred theatergoers could be seated in the plush red seats. Houdini, John Phillip Sousa, Oscar Wilde and boxer Jack Dempsey appeared on the stage. Step back in time as you walk across the stage, visit the dressing rooms and sit in the box seats.
Historical Walking Tour
Maps available at the Visitor Center at 809 Harrison. Open year-round.
(719) 486-3900 or (888) 532-3845
Most of the buildings in Leadville were built between 1880 and 1905. There are 70 square blocks included in the National Historic Landmark District of Victorian architecture, including the largest opera house west of the Mississippi, the saloon visited by Oscar Wilde, and two historic 1879 churches.
Route of the Silver Kings
Maps available at the Visitor Center at 809 Harrison. Open year-round.
(719) 486-3900 or (888) 532-3845
The Route of the Silver Kings leads visitors on a driving tour through the 20-square-mile historic mining district surrounding Leadville, Colorado. There are 12 stops on the tour, including mines, power plants, ghost towns and mining camps.
