Georgetown–Silver Plume Historic District Explained

Georgetown–Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District
Nrhp Type:nhld
Nocat:yes
Designated Other1:Colorado
Designated Other1 Number:5CC.3
Designated Other1 Num Position:bottom
Nearest City:Georgetown, Colorado and Silver Plume, Colorado
Coordinates:39.6986°N -105.7133°W
Area:3288acres
Built:1859
Architecture:Late Victorian
Designated Nrhp Type:November 13, 1966[1]
Added:November 13, 1966
Refnum:66000243

The Georgetown–Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District is a federally designated United States National Historic Landmark that comprises the Town of Georgetown, the Town of Silver Plume, and the Georgetown Loop Historic Mining & Railroad Park between the two silver mining towns along Clear Creek in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States.

The district includes well-preserved examples of the buildings and mining structures of the Colorado Silver Boom from 1864 to 1893. The Georgetown Loop Historic Mining & Railroad Park includes the reconstructed Georgetown Loop, a spectacular example of 19th-century narrow gauge railway engineering required to negotiate the 601abbr=offNaNabbr=off of elevation rise in the mere 2abbr=offNaNabbr=off between the two towns. Historic steam locomotives pull passenger trains over the loop from late May through the beautiful Autumn colors of early October. Guided tours of the Lebanon Silver Mine are also available.

The district was designated a National Historic Landmark on November 13, 1966.[1] [2]

History

Gold was discovered in Georgetown by George and David Griffiths in 1859, and Georgetown eventually took its name from the former. The gold finds in the area were relatively minor, but a major lode of silver was discovered in 1864, kicking off the local boom. Georgetown became a center for thousands of miners operating in the surrounding hills. Silver Plume was developed as one of a series of satellite camps, and in 1884 the Georgetown Loop Railroad was built, connecting the two by rail. Mining declined in the 1890s, and the area has since had a relatively low population.[2]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Georgetown–Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District. 2007-10-13. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. https://web.archive.org/web/20080104184811/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=147&ResourceType=District. 2008-01-04. dead.
  2. Joseph S. Mendinghall (May 1975), National Park Service and