The town site of Cripple Creek was laid out shortly after the discovery of gold by Horace Bennett, a Denver realtor, with his partner, Julius Myers, naming the street after each of them. Bennett Avenue became the main street of the town and of . . . — — Map (db m51827) HM
Two saloon keepers, E.H. Asmussen and J.A. Kelly, financed this building
to establish their Denver Exchange Saloon. As its name implied, the saloon
catered to the local investment crowd: stock brokers, speculators, bankers,
and other financiers. . . . — — Map (db m250325) HM
John Nolon and Jacob Becker opened the Becker and Nolon Liquor Company in a wood-framed building here in 1893. After they lost their building to the 1896 fires, they quickly rebuilt in more durable brick.
Because they kept their pool tables . . . — — Map (db m250545) HM
Sherman and Edward Bell, who moved to Cripple Creek in 1893, did business in real estate, insurance, and investments. They built this office building to house their own business and to lease space to others.
In 1898, the Spanish-American War . . . — — Map (db m250289) HM
The Bowen Building was named after Willbert E. Bowen (1825-1902), a merchant originally from New York, then Chicago, then Denver. Constructed in 1896, the building had several offices for real estate, mines, investments and was also used to retail . . . — — Map (db m250570) HM
George and Emma Carr entered the local scene as managers of the Broken
Box Ranch. When the ranch sold for town lots in 1891, the Carrs turned
to real estate investment. Their first building on this site, a 2-story frame
structure, burned in the . . . — — Map (db m250324) HM
A year after it was built, beer baron Adolph Coors purchased this building from stockbrokers William P. Bonbright and
J. Arthur Connell. Coors then leased the property to Henry Bunte for his B.B. Saloon, with the agreement that Bunte feature . . . — — Map (db m250344) HM
Shortly after fires leveled much of the city in 1896, Cripple Creek decided to build a new City Hall/Central Fire Station. Most commercial buildings were quickly re-opened for business, but it took two years to obtain financing and complete City . . . — — Map (db m250574) HM
The "World's Greatest Gold Camp" had a sleepy start. The area's first gold discoveries happened in 1873, but Broken Box Ranch cattle still grazed the valley in 1890. It was the spring of 1891 before several promising mining claims started . . . — — Map (db m250260) HM
Furniture retailers C.L. and D.B. Fairley joined undertaker Oscar Lampman to finance the construction of this building. The Fairleys opened a branch of their Colorado Springs store here; Lampman acted primarily as an investor.
The Central Drug . . . — — Map (db m250549) HM
The Gold Mining Stock Exchange Association, organized October 14,
1895, was one of Cripple Creek's three stock exchanges. Shortly after
opening its large "call room" at the back of this building, the Association
was trading 60 million mining . . . — — Map (db m250583) HM
Ralph L. Carr was born in Rosita, Colorado. His family later moved to Cripple Creek, where Carr graduated in 1905 from Cripple Creek High School. He went on to earn a law degree, and in 1929 was appointed U.S. Attorney for Colorado. In 1938, Carr . . . — — Map (db m281571) HM
In the early 1890s, J. S. Neall brought his much-needed assaying skills
to Cripple Creek. After the 1896 fires, he set up his assay office on the
first floor of the building you see before you. Neall's "sampling works"
were housed in the back . . . — — Map (db m250575) HM
Samuel Jamison leased this building to the Hooper Jewelry Company from 1896-1916. A 1900 ad stated Hoopers offered stationery, souvenirs. jewelry, books, film, cards, and Kodaks. Kodak cameras had been invented in 1888 - the first hand-carried . . . — — Map (db m250349) HM
This building tells a typical story of how entrepreneurs rode the boom and bust cycles of Colorado's mining camps. Joe Gavin and Antoine L'Abbe opened the Branch Saloon in Leadville at the peak of Leadville's silver boom.
Success in Leadville . . . — — Map (db m250346) HM
Situated just below Cripple Creeks fashionable business district, the Old Homestead anchored Myers Avenues entertainment trade. On a street flanked by saloons and one-room cribs where individual ladies could ply their trade, this brothel . . . — — Map (db m51824) HM
Not long after W. L. Shockey opened his Cripple Creek Pharmacy here in 1896, he realized pharmaceuticals were a 24-hour-a-day business in Cripple Creck. In the 1890s, most mines worked three 8-hour shifts each day, creating 'round-the-clock demand . . . — — Map (db m250542) HM
Photographers Nils T. Schedin and John Lehman claimed to operate the
"Best Appointed Studio in the City" in 1906. They were known for their
studio portraits, but also offered postcards, special events photographs,
and commissioned works, like the . . . — — Map (db m250585) HM
S.L. McConnell and J.C. Watt operated the handsome Antiers Bar here from 1896 until after the turn of the century. Typical of Cripple Creek's "gentleman-like" saloons, the front bar served liquor to customers who stood in casual groups, exchanging . . . — — Map (db m250352) HM
By 1898, the Cripple Creek area was clearly prosperous enough to support its own government. Taking pieces of northeastern Fremont and western El Paso Counties, Teller County officially formed in March 1899. At first, county offices shared space . . . — — Map (db m250269) HM
The Bull Hill station
was built at Anaconda in 1894
by the M.T.R.R. It was
relocated in 1912 to Bull Hill,
northeast of Victor. The
M.T.R.R. discontinued service
in 1949. The depot was moved
to this location in 1968. — — Map (db m250176) HM
Members of the Hallett family from Springfield, Massachusetts, used this building as a residence and base of business operations. It was one of the first structures to be rebuilt after
the fires of 1896. Henry W. Hallett, a jeweler, arrived first, . . . — — Map (db m250319) HM
The Teller County Jail served this area for 91 years. With construction
costs of $25,000, it was equipped with amenities such as indoor plumbing and
electricity. Designed to house 100 inmates, it was considered one of the most
modern and sanitary . . . — — Map (db m250264) HM
William P. Bonbright built the Turf Club to house exclusive club rooms for the city's most successful businessmen. A year later, he sold the building and the business to John Harnan, who continued to operate the club.
Harnan earned his fortune . . . — — Map (db m250342) HM
Charles L. Tutt arrived in Cripple Creek in 1892. From the outset, he was active in mining, real estate, and stock brokering. After scouting the northeastern part of the District, he bought the C.O.D. Mine in Poverty Gulch. Tutt operated the C.O.D. . . . — — Map (db m250469) HM
The Weinberg family opened their first shoe and clothing store in Cripple
Creek in 1893. After the 1896 fires, the Weinbergs constructed the
Italianate-styled building you see before you.
Two years later, they sold out to M. Glauber. Glauber . . . — — Map (db m250568) HM
Known as the "Midas of the Rockies", Stratton was enticed to the Cripple Creek District by Bob Womack. His first claim, the Independence Mine, was staked on July 4, 1891. The rich strike made Stratton the District's first millionaire. — — Map (db m250259) HM
Sons of Teller County whose
lives were consecrated to
the divine right of freedom
He lives in fame who died in virtues' cause.
Shakespeare
Chester Allstrum Percy Ellsworth
Ben Appleby John Earn
Howard Carter Paul Hammond . . . — — Map (db m250286) WM
The Adeline Hornbek Homestead in front of you was built in 1878. The finely crafted homestead is one of the outstanding cultural resources of Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Missing from your view is the home of Charlotte Hill, which was . . . — — Map (db m240642) HM
This family circle of fossilized redwood stumps grew out of the single trunk of an older parent tree. The three trunks are ancient clones, or genetically identical copies, of that parent tree. Modern coastal redwoods also reproduce by stump . . . — — Map (db m240610) HM
The Rocky Mountain region was much warmer 34 million years ago. The Florissant valley was forested with towering redwoods, false cypresses, pines, mixed hardwoods, and ferns surrounded by drier slopes with scrublands, shrubs, and low trees. . . . — — Map (db m158385) HM
Within a few steps is the transition from a dry meadow into a cooler forest of Douglas-fir, spruce, and common juniper. The moisture content is higher here. Though you're looking south, you are standing on a north-facing slope. North-facing slopes . . . — — Map (db m158502) HM
Women's stories figure prominently in the early frontier days of Florissant.
Charlotte Hill homesteaded here in the late 1800s. Married at age 13, she raised seven children, ranched with her husband, and pursued her avocation of collecting fossils. . . . — — Map (db m240616) HM
Standing here 34 million years ago you would probably recognize a number of plants and insects. But the year-round mild climate in the Rockies would be a surprise, as would the mammals of the time. The warm temperate forest was diverse, with . . . — — Map (db m158429) HM
As outcrops of shale weather, they separate into paper-thin sheets, exposing fossils on their surfaces. Within these delicate pages, a chapter of Earth's history unfolds.
Size played a key role in determining what was preserved at Florissant. The . . . — — Map (db m158439) HM
Decades before this area became a national monument, commercial tourist sites exhibited the fossils and competed for customers. The remnants of an old road across the meadow in front of you marked the boundary between two family businesses. The . . . — — Map (db m240555) HM
Open stands of ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and quaking aspen now dominate the slopes of the Florissant valley. The ecosystem has changed since the days of the dense redwood forests. There are more open grasslands and the cold temperate forest is . . . — — Map (db m158433) HM
The three trunks of the Trio are all interconnected because they are part of the same tree! They were likely sprouts from a broken central tree, which makes them clones. The original rock matrix that buried the Trio in the late Eocene was excavated . . . — — Map (db m240476) HM
"One of the wonders of this part of the world is the 'Petrified Forest'...between Colorado Springs and Fairplay. This remarkable relic...bids fair to disappear very shortly, unless the...tourists cease their work of destruction. Everyone must . . . — — Map (db m158483) HM
To uncover the geologic history of the Florissant region, you must peel back the surface and examine the rock layers below. Sediments are deposited layer upon layer, with the oldest at the bottom and the youngest on top. Because of this principle . . . — — Map (db m158482) HM
The Abert's squirrel inhabits this forest. It eats ponderosa pine cones and the inner bark of the twigs. It's just one of many animals that depend on the ponderosa forest for food, nesting, and cover. The fossil record also shows animals and plant . . . — — Map (db m158510) HM
Pikes Peak is the huge mountain you see across the valley. On a clear day, you can see two distinct areas on the mountain—a darker band of forest and a lighter colored treeless area. These different layers called "life zones" are a . . . — — Map (db m158493) HM
Living Artifacts
Prayer Trees — One of dozens of ponderosa pine trees bent and tied parallel to the ground, marking places of prayer on the Pilgrimage trail (now named Cedar Mountain Road) to Pikes Peak from Crystal Peak. Many . . . — — Map (db m153231) HM
A grassroots effort
Beneath this valley is one of the richest fossil deposits in the world. Imagine instead this valley filled with a housing subdivision. There would be no open space, no trails, no scientific research, and no . . . — — Map (db m158376) HM
Core samples from Sequoia affinis fossil stumps contain remarkably well-preserved annual growth rings. Locked within those concentric rings are clues about past growing conditions in the Florissant valley.
The stumps at Florissant have . . . — — Map (db m158428) HM
In the late Eocene epoch, about 34 million years ago, the Florissant valley was buried by eruptions from a cluster of volcanoes known as the Guffey volcanic center. Huge volcanic mudflows (lahars) spread into this forested valley with great speed, . . . — — Map (db m158402) HM
In front of you is one of the largest fossils in the park, a massive petrified redwood stump. The Big Stump is all that remains of a redwood tree that may have been more than 230 feet (70 meters) tall and 500-1,000 years old when the lahar buried . . . — — Map (db m240556) HM
Explosive volcanic eruptions, a quiet freshwater lake, towering redwoods. A picture of this valley 35 million years ago is revealed by studying the rocks that are here today. — — Map (db m93087) HM
Just beyond the circular wooden fence in front of you is a young ponderosa pine tree growing out of the top of an ancient petrified redwood tree stump. The huge redwood tree was buried by a volcanic mudflow and was later exposed by erosion. The . . . — — Map (db m158515) HM
Can you see the spiral scar on the ponderosa pine directly to your right? It goes all the way up and around the tree. Lightning struck this tree many years ago. Lightning and the fires it causes are natural processes in forests like this one. Fire . . . — — Map (db m158506) HM
You are standing in the Florissant valley surrounded by ponderosa pine forests. But 34-35 million years ago, this was the site of Lake Florissant. The twelve-mile-long lake was formed when volcanic mudflows dammed a stream that flowed south . . . — — Map (db m158489) HM
Rich Cultural History
The legacy of many different cultures and people can be found along the Byway. Native
American Indian tribes who lived here for centuries prior to settlement have left traces of their life ways in the earth, trees and . . . — — Map (db m153243) HM
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument safeguards a buried treasure: one of the world's richest fossil deposits. Look around. This 6,000 acre open space belongs to all of usand to future generations. But what if instead of a public resource, it . . . — — Map (db m240551) HM
Pikes Peak backcountry was a hunter's paradise, and the native Ute people were
constantly challenged by the Plains Indians for possession. Fierce warriors, the Utes
endured and are the only tribe based in their Colorado homeland. Kit Carson . . . — — Map (db m153222) HM
Alta Vista Station
The Alta Vista Railroad Depot, pictured below, was originally located on Phantom Canyon Road where it served the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad line. After the trains quit running in 1912, the building was used as a . . . — — Map (db m46760) HM
Up In Flames
Victor was founded in 1893 at the foot of Battle Mountain – a stones throw from where the richest gold mines in the Gold Camp were eventually located. Underground mining was very labor intensive so, like many gold rush . . . — — Map (db m46798) HM
Miners Win 8-hour Day
Underground gold mining was difficult, dangerous, labor intensive work. Two major labor conflicts between the Association of Mine Owners and the Western Federation of Mines (WFM) Labor Union changed Victor and Gold . . . — — Map (db m46892) HM
Tomkins Hardware/Victor Museum
In 1900, the Victor museum building was the Tompkins Hardware Store, part of the Reynolds Block.
At one time the offices upstairs served as the Mining Exchange. In later years it became the Hackley . . . — — Map (db m92261) HM
On this corner, an electric street car (the Low Line) turned off Victor Avenue onto N 3rd Street to continue its trip to the Independence Mine and around Battle Mountain. In the early 1900s, the miners commuted to work via these streetcars for a . . . — — Map (db m46796) HM
Original Hotel Victor
The Original Hotel Victor was built by the Woods family in 1894 at the corner of 4th and Victor Avenue – where JET Service now stands. While digging the hotel foundation workmen discovered a rich gold bearing vein . . . — — Map (db m46759) HM
Fortune Club
The Fortune Club was a famous gambling house and saloon and it was reported to also be home to one of the areas most talked about Red Light Social Clubs with rooms for rent on the second floor – later the Fortune Club . . . — — Map (db m46866) HM
Like a Phoenix, Victor rose from the ashes of the great 1899 fire better than before. The flimsy wooden structures, built in hast during the boom years of the gold rush, were replaced seemingly overnight by the majestic sturdy brick buildings seen . . . — — Map (db m52404) HM
For many who came West, their biggest dream was to find gold. With small grubstakes they came, over 12,000 of them, making Victor the 5th largest city in Colorado by 1900. The glory days brought entertainment as well. Jack Dempsey trained at the . . . — — Map (db m46728) HM
Thrill-seekers, fund-raisers, and publicity hounds have been attracted to Pikes Peak for decades. Daring adventurers have hang-glided and skied off the summit, and rock climbers have challenged steep rock faces. Here is the scoop on some of the . . . — — Map (db m45842) HM
The bears that live on Pikes Peak are Black Bears and have been seen in shades of cinnamon to dark brown. They stand approximately 3 feet tall at the shoulder and eat mostly berries, nuts and leaves. Before winter hits, bears eat almost constantly . . . — — Map (db m45772) HM
When snow falls and cold winds blow, elk lose their antlers. Elk drop and re-grow antlers each year while bighorn sheep wear their horns for life. The antler cycle begins when the previous seasons antlers, now useless, break off. Soon skull bumps . . . — — Map (db m45774) HM
Sightseers have been riding the spectacular road up Pikes Peak since 1889. Back then, early risers chugged up the pass on the Colorado Midland train to Cascade. There, horse drawn carriages awaited eager passengers. According to Francis Heizer, The . . . — — Map (db m45840) HM
Can you imagine racing up a mountain that has 1,000 foot drop-offs? Thats exactly what daring drivers have been doing since 1916. That was the year mining magnate Spencer Penrose announced the first Pikes Peak National Hill Climbing Contest to . . . — — Map (db m45839) HM
The porcupine defends itself with between 15,000 and 30,000 needle-sharp quills. Each quill has barbs that flair out from the shaft that resist being pulled out, but also work themselves in. When challenged, the porcupine simply puts its head . . . — — Map (db m45773) HM
