Part 1 – Formation of the Nevadaville Fire Department
By Mary Peery
This is a new fact-based series based on newspaper articles, and a little fiction, to depict life in Nevadaville during its economic peak. The fire department came about after devastating fires like the one depicted below:
“A Fifteen Thousand Dollar Fire” by the Rocky Mountain News, January 4, 1882 (more…)
Public Works Reorganization
By Randy Beaudette
Two amendments to Black Hawk’s Pay Plan and the license agreement with the Monarch Growth Inc., and an annexation protest from Central City were the highlights from the Black Hawk City Council regular meeting held on February 26, 2020. (more…)
Mill levy, revised adopted budget, capital improvements
by Patty Unruh
The Gilpin County Board of Education held its final regular meeting before the winter break, on Tuesday, December 12, at 7:00 p.m. Members Craig Holmes and Brook Ramsey were absent, but there were enough members for a quorum. Members Steve Boulter, Kersten Armstrong, and new member Sarah Swanson were present. Also present were Superintendent David MacKenzie and Secretary to the Board Joni Schmidt. (more…)
The Weekly Register-Call’s latest issue reports that several executives from the company RCI have been indicted by a New York grand jury on charges linked to financial misconduct and fraud. The indictments came after a multi-year investigation into the company’s operations in New York. According to court documents, the executives allegedly misappropriated funds and engaged in fraudulent schemes tied to their casino holdings. What has locals talking is that many of the same executives have been active in Central City’s gaming and real estate scene, raising concern over potential impacts on local development projects. City leaders say they are monitoring the situation closely and will cooperate with any authorities as needed.
A companion analysis column questions how the indictment might affect the company’s ongoing projects and whether it will prompt calls for greater oversight of outside investors. Community members are urged to stay informed as the legal case unfolds.
Another story in the issue examines Gilpin County’s preliminary 2026 budget. Officials report that the proposed budget preserves essential staff positions despite a decline in gaming tax revenue. The slump in gaming collections follows a year of slower tourism and increased competition from neighboring jurisdictions. To offset this decline, the county is exploring cost-saving measures and seeking alternative revenue streams while striving to maintain services.
In the editorial section, columnist Barb-Wire-Bob reflects on the concept of divine providence and resilience in uncertain times, drawing parallels between community perseverance and larger economic forces.
Stay tuned to the Weekly Register-Call for continuing coverage of these stories and other news from Central City, Black Hawk, and Gilpin County.
Touch-A-Truck event on Sunday. The every-other-year Rotary event was hosted by Martin Marietta at its Walstrum Quarry, located along U.S. 6, continuing a tradition that began eight years ago when Albert Frei and Sons operated the iconic quarry, easily visible down Floyd Hill. The Rotarians turned out in force to provide a free day of fun for families, adults and children. Of course, they received support from several local organizations, including Kraemer North America (the contractor for the CDOT I-70 Floyd Hill project), Consolidated Electrical Distributors, PMC, Buckley Powder Company, Burke Tyre and Tommyknockers. Clear Creek Fire Authority, Alpine Rescue Team, Friends of Charlie’s Place animal shelter, and several food trucks also participate.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced during a press briefing last week that the state has agreed with Union Pacific Railroad for a 25-year lease and a Memorandum of Understanding for the Moffat Tunnel.
The lease and access agreement, scheduled to be signed on May 1, will enable the state to use Union Pacific’s tracks to develop a state-sponsored Mountain Rail passenger service. The proposed expanded passenger rail would extend beyond the current end of the line in Grand County and open up potential stops as far away as Steamboat Springs.
Gilpin County Commissioner Sandy Hollingsworth, whose district includes the eastern end of the 6.2-mile Moffat Tunnel, said the new agreement keeps the possibility for a rail stop to be developed around Rollinsville. Hollingsworth told the Weekly Register-Call, “Yes, Rollinsville is still a potential future stop. I’m attending the periodic meetings, which will resume quarterly in 2025. The possibilities are economic development, commuter and recreation transport from Denver with stops along the way as far as Steamboat. The Hayden area is a coal transition community with possibilities for new businesses and freight trains.
For Gilpin, it could enhance economic opportunities, including increasing Eldora skiers, reducing single car travel, increasing shuttles for visitors, and more patrons of local small businesses.”
During the past few years, Hollingsworth, BoCC Chair Susan Berumen and County Manager Ray Rears have attended several Colorado Mountain Rail Coalition meetings, hoping to provide input and promote a potential rail stop near Rollinsville.
In December, officials from the neighboring community of Nederland, Boulder County, expressed interest in building business partnerships and contacted Polis about the possibility of state funding to help acquire the Eldora Mountain ski area. However, critics say the hopes for Nederland, a town of about 1,500, is a “moonshot” regarding its hopes to purchase Eldora for at least $105 million.
The small ski resort is about five miles west of Nederland and 8.6 miles from Rollinsville. Gilpin officials hope a train stop in Rollinsville would help bolster local business and provide transportation from the station to Eldora.
Gilpin’s representatives have emphasized a new Rollinsville rail stop could help ignite positive regional benefits for people and businesses and potential development for the area. The county also plans to study infrastructure needs and address possibilities during a $250,000 study slated to get underway during the new year.
During his remarks on the new lease, Polis said, “Today marks a major milestone in negotiations between the State of Colorado and Union Pacific for a new modern 25-year lease of the Moffat Tunnel and a 25-year access agreement. This is a big step forward in making Mountain Rail from Denver to Craig a reality. Passenger Rail on this corridor will relieve traffic to one of Colorado’s iconic mountain communities and provide safe, reliable, affordable transportation options for tourists and skiers as well as workers traveling along the corridor. This historic agreement is an important step to
protect continuous freight operations and finally deliver on the promise of passenger rail to Coloradans, and I thank Union Pacific for its partnership,” said Polis.
The 100-year-old Moffat Tunnel cuts through the Continental Divide at 9,239 feet above sea level. Created to provide a crucial east-to-west connection from Denver to the West coast for commerce, the Moffat Tunnel helped Denver become a center of commerce and growth in the Rockies.
Today, in addition to its storied history, the Moffat Tunnel represents a lynchpin of the Mountain Rail Project to connect Coloradans and visitors from Denver Union Station through Rollinsville to Winter Park, Granby, Steamboat Springs, Craig, and Hayden.
“Colorado built the Moffat Tunnel almost 100 years ago to connect people and freight on the West Slope and Front Range. Through this Agreement, we are making sure the Moffat Tunnel moves passengers and goods into the future. We need alternatives to I-70 and the high mountain passes, and [the] Moffat Tunnel and Union Pacific’s line provides that whether you’re traveling with kids or freight,” said John Putnam, the Governor’s chief negotiator for Moffat Tunnel.
The tunnel was named after Colorado railroad pioneer David Moffat, who tried to raise funds to build the tunnel before he died in 1911. However, various government leaders in Denver and others were able to finance the construction of the tunnel, which opened in February 1928.
Peter Gottesleben was born on Dec. 31, 1834, in the Rhine Province, Germany. Today, 190 years later, his legacy endures in the Teller House lobby in Central City, where an impressive eight-foot George A. Jones Walnut Parlor Clock stands. The clock, inscribed with “Hense Gottesleben,” tells a rich historical and roman- tic story.
The “Hense” refers to Peter’s brother-in-law. After im- migrating to Quincy, Ill., and living there for two years, Peter and his wife, Elizabeth Hense, traveled to Denver in 1857 by covered wagon pulled by an ox team. Upon ar- rival, they opened a jewelry store on Larimer Street near the original May Company building that was constructed by Frank Kirchhof, another German immigrant who was influential in Denver’s early development. He built landmark structures like the Albany and Oxford Hotels and founded the Kirchhof Lumber Company, amassing considerable wealth.
While there is no direct evidence that Gottesleben and Kirchhof knew each other, they likely crossed paths through church or Denver’s growing business networks. Their connection is further underscored by Kirchhof pur- chasing the walnut parlor clock in the mid to late 1860s from Hense Gottesleben’s jewelry store on Larimer Street. The clock was likely a centerpiece in Kirchhof’s opulent home.
Manufactured by the George A. Jones & Company in New York during the early 1860s, the Teller House clock is one of the finest of its era. In a time when most clocks were imported from England, owning a precision-made American clock was a symbol of status. The George A. Jones & Company also imported the finest clocks and bronzes from France, Germany, Prussia and England and was renowned in New York City for its quality.
The Teller House clock is particularly special because of the engraving on its pendulum, which identifies both George A. Jones as the manufacturer and Hense Gottesleben as the retailer. Another fascinating feature is the pendulum’s mercury component.
Mercury was used in clocks of this period to improve timekeeping accuracy by compensating for temperature-induced changes in the pendulum’s length. As temperature rises and the pendulum rod expands, the mercury in the bob also expands, adjusting the clock’s center of mass to maintain consistent time- keeping.
As we welcome 2025 in, we honor pioneers like Peter Gottesleben and Frank Kirchhof, along with generations of entrepreneurs who contrib- uted to the growth of Colorado. Frank Kirchhof’s daughter, Bernadine Kirchhof, donated the valuable clock to the Teller House in the 1930s and stands proudly in the first-floor lobby. Its inscrip- tion commemo- rates the long journey to Denver by a covered wagon pulled by the ox team—a tribute to the Gottesleben- Hense family’s 1857 Westward migration.
Today, the clock continues to tick 165 years later, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Eric Chinn, Central City Op- era’s director of Historic Proper- ties, who winds it regularly, and the volunteers from Denver Chapter 21 of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. Special thanks go to Chapter 21’s Randy Schnei- der, Charles Daldry, Mike Korn, Jane and Steve Stap, David Gies, and others who help maintain and adjust historic clocks, including the tower clocks at two high schools in Denver. The Chapter also maintains a list of clock repair professionals on its website for anyone needing repairs at nawcc21.com/business-directory
County, in-
cluding Rol-
linsville. The
Better City
consultant
reported that
more than a
third of resi-
dents work
from home
sometimes,
so better in-
ternet service
is vital to
them.
Continued from page 1
Longtime Clear Creek resident Kelly Flen-
niken, chair of the CCECC, said she was pleased
about the turnout from those who work in the
two counties and wanted to hear the various
reports presented during the session. “A lot of
us believe that a good quality of life depends on
a good, quality job,” she told the audience.
“Why does economic development mean in
a small rural community and why should you
care?” asked Flenniken. “I can tell you that it
matters in all communities because it’s a series
of different programs, policies or initiatives
that seek to improve that economic well-being
in that community. We want to build a diverse
tax base and don’t want to be overly reliant on
one industry. We need to think about how to
build our community and have more quality
employment. We need to think about how we
can have quality housing and employment, plus
a robust education system. All of these pieces
are connected.”
According
to Englund,
another
item that
could attract
more people
to visit is
the national
forests in the
county. “Trail access is a big thing. It’s amaz-
ing how many little trails come out from Rol-
linsville. One of the problems is that there isn’t
enough parking, and many of the trails aren’t
marked. If you can get people to come and stay
an extra day, that would be good if they came
up to spend more time on the trails.”
Capacity crowd at CCEDC Rural Resilience event.
Photos by Don Ireland
Central City Mayor Jeremy Fey said he didn’t
know much about the CCEDC before he at-
tended the Rural Resilience event. “It was a
great networking opportunity, and I was actu-
ally impressed by the turnout,” he said. “I was
a little bit embarrassed that – until recently –
that I didn’t know much about them. Lyndsey
Valdez, their president, gave a short presenta-
tion at our council meeting recently. However, I
didn’t realize that they were available in Gilpin
County. I’ve actually gone to their website to
learn about the process
of what it takes to apply
for a loan.”
Counties. Since 1985, the CCEDC has provided
over $8 million in business loans, which has
leveraged approximately $17.5 million in area
investments. The goal of the loan program is to
support business retention and expansion, and
new job growth within Region 3.
Wilkins said a large part of Clear Creek’s
economy comes from mining and tourism.
One idea being considered for the county is an
increase in sales taxes,
which could help fund ad-
ditional tourism-related
projects. However, “some
people don’t want to see
more growth in the com-
munity,” he commented.
“Summers are crazy in
Clear Creek County, and
there are people who
don’t want more traffic.”
Rears joked, “Prior to
2019, Gilpin County’s
economic strategy was
to build another casino.
During the pandemic,
the county laid off
about one-third of its
staff. We realized we
really needed to diver-
sify our economy.” Fol-
lowing the pandemic,
Gilpin received a grant,
which it used to hire
Better City, a consulting
organization that helps
communities develop
plans for their futures
in the U.S. and other
countries.
Among the ideas dis-
cussed are special events
or festivals during the
off-season months, which
could bring in more tour-
ism revenue. Wilkins said
fishing or hockey tour-
naments at Georgetown
Lake are possibilities. It
is also possible a “round-
up program” could be
considered, where shop-
pers would be asked to round up their purchase
price receipt to the next dollar – with the dif-
ference used to pave roads or pay for additional
events.
Ray Rears Gilpin County manager.
Englund of Better
City commented that Black Hawk has begun
adding additional attractions to bring in tour-
ists not interested in gaming for an extra day.
He said Gilpin would like those visitors to ex-
pand their stay by offering other items. Increas-
ing the number of businesses in Rollinsville and
developing more information about available
trails and historical places in the county could
help leaders and businesses accomplish that
goal.
Wilkins said the creation of a proposed
parking garage and the Argo Gondola ride in
Idaho Springs are ideas that – if developed –
could help increase tourism. He noted the hot
springs and a gondola in Glenwood Springs
have helped bring visitors to that section of the
mountains.
Central City Heritage West Realty owner Roy
Varela joins Central City Mayor Jeremy Fey at
the Idaho Springs Economic Mixer event.
“Central City is in a different situation,” noted
Englund. “They have a larger population and
room to expand [along the Central City Park-
way]. Then there is Rollinsville, where busi-
nesses there would like it to be a true destina-
tion. We had 24 people show up for a meeting
there by people who want to change the com-
munity themselves. They’re working together
and using their own money. They’re trying to
figure out a way to make Rollinsville a true des-
tination. Parking is a big issue. This is a work in
process but there’s a lot of good things going on
there.”
While most people at the CCEDC event were
from the Clear Creek area, it attracted several
people from Gilpin County and Rears and Fey.
Gilpin County Commissioner Marie
Mornis, Boyle, Black Hawk busi-
nessman Eddie Miller and a few
Rollinsville business owners also
turned out. Another Gilpin com-
missioner, Susan Berumen, sits on
the loan committee for the CCEDC.
Photo by Bob Sweeney
PRECISE REPAIR, GENUINE CARE
Keep your home safe
with concrete repair
On Friday, elected officials and
leaders from both counties met to
discuss what they heard on Thurs-
day night and shared ideas on
what future opportunities could be
considered.
Englund said installing broadband would
help those who work and live in Gilpin County,
a project currently being developed by the
county government and its partners. Gilpin
Grant Manager Jamie Boyle said Maverix
Broadband received a $6.78 million grant to
expand broadband service in northern Gilpin
Worrying about your uneven or cracked
concrete can make owning a home very
stressful. By investing in concrete repair,
you can fix your driveway, walkways, patio,
and more in one easy lift.
The CCEDC administers the
Region 3 Business Loan Program
(BLF) for Clear Creek and Gilpin
GET A FREE ESTIMATE
877-422-1375
Lyndsey Valdez
president CCEDC
Lindsey Valdez, president and
CEO of the Clear Creek Develop-
ment Corporation, welcomed the
packed house in the new meet-
ing room to hear demographic
and state-of-the-economy reports for both Clear Creek
and Gilpin Counties. Kelly Flenniken, board chair of the
Clear Creek EDC, also presided. The room was filled with
county commissioners, city managers, council members,
city officials, organization members and guests.
The challenge with that
type of economy is a bedroom
community with many indus-
trial resident payrolls lost to
other areas.
Photo by Don Ireland
know the local business owners during the past couple of
years. They have been fantastic. This has been quite a chal-
lenging project. We had to strip this building down to studs
before adding new plumbing and those kinds of things. We
had to clean up a lot so it didn’t have any lingering odors
from its previous use. We had our soft opening in January.”
Senior Reporter
Jonah and Lana Hearne had praised for the Clear Creek
Economic Development Council, which helped the couple
purchase and remodel a problem-filled old building into
what recently opened as the Club Hotel in Idaho Springs.
It was interesting in Craig that when our economic de-
velopment efforts were successful, some older residents
told us we were destroying the town with newcomers
and rising home prices. A few crusty residents sold their
homes for five-fold profits and left town. Locally, gaming
created a housing shortage in the area, and much higher
prices exist today. Great if you already own a home.
“All of the chairs, the big TV and all of the furniture and
fixtures were taken care of by the loan we obtained from the
CCEDC. They helped us take this from what it was into a
nice, 10-room boutique hotel,” said Hearne, who noted that
the soaps, coffee and tea for the hotel come from local shops
in Idaho Springs.
Jonah Hearne said the creation of the Victorian-feel Club
Hotel at 1601 Colorado Blvd., formerly the Hanson Lodge,
was possible because of loan funding through the CCEDC.
The hotel was the site of the CCEDC’s first “Rural Resil-
ience” economic development mixer last week, which at-
tracted business owners and elected leaders from Gilpin and
Clear Creek counties.
Living in the foothill mountains of Eastern Colorado,
there will be continued growth for fresh mountain air,
solace, and privacy, and a growing demand for people to
escape the ever-increasing city populations and poverty
challenges.
Henry and Sophia Wilson built The Club Hotel as a pri-
vate, two-story residence in 1862. A decade later, they
rented the establishment to the Idaho Springs Club, a
gentlemen’s club run by Denver businessmen. The building
served as a hospital during the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1918
before it was struck by two fires in 1921. In 1943, the Hanson
family purchased the building the Hansons owned the hotel
and restaurant. In the 40 years since then, the property has
served many purposes: a restaurant, cocktail lounge, bed-
and-breakfast, and a halfway home.
Don and I wisely sat on the front row where we could
read the fine print on the many demographic charts
shown by Greg Totten from the State of Colorado demog-
raphy office. The charts showed that mining, tourism,
and restaurants, but not gaming, were the two major
employers in both counties. Ireland took furious notes on
the chart statistics found elsewhere in this week’s edition.
“I was looking for a good investment property,” Hearne
told the audience at the meeting. “I wanted to put some
money into something, fix it up and start a business. My
wife and I were looking at a place in Boulder County. We
couldn’t find the right price, so we kept on looking around.
We stumbled upon this “gem” – it was a little rough at the
time.”
Seeing the energetic audience welcoming growth and
development and creating a sound economy for jobs
and business was heart-warming. The welcome mat is
definitely out for Martin Marietta and the stellar Climax
Molybdenum, who provide most jobs in Clear Creek
County and huge amounts of taxes. Gaming may last
longer than mining somewhere in the distant future, but
we will always have the majestic mountains and tourists
seeking beauty.
A gripping portion of the program came from Ryan
Englund, president of Better Cities, who has been con-
sulting with business leaders in Rollinsville. He said the
historic railroad community wants to become a more
viable destination and significant community. There is a
strong movement, led by Gov. Jared Polis, to commence
railroad passenger service from Denver through Rol-
Continued Hearne, “My wife is a little brave because she
signed off on purchasing the property before she even vis-
ited it. Fortunately, we were able to get to the right price [on
it]. We got kick-started on the project in 2022. We came to a
good resolution with the historical preservation committee
on what this building should look like. We’ve also gotten to
After the Hearne’s acquired the property, they removed
most of the interior walls to create 11 guest rooms and in-
stalled new plumbing, electrical and heating systems. The
dining room, added in 1927, is the meeting hall used for re-
ceptions and groups, including last week’s CCEDC meeting.
However, we may need oil lanterns when the sun
doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow.
Jonah Hearne, owner of the Club Hotel in Idaho Springs.
We no longer write this, “But all had a good time.”
Photos by Don Ireland
will be home to a regional
summer professional
repertory theatre com-
pany and allow local,
regional, and national
artists to share their
craft.
Clear Creek County and
By Danny Tomlinson
Reporter and Photographer
The Weekly Register-
Call was recently invited
to join a “behind the
scenes” tour of the “old
high school” on Highway
103 just outside downtown
Idaho Springs, which is
being re-purposed as the
new Carlson Elementary
School. The building has
been nationally recognized
as the “Tower of Learning.”
It was built in 1968 and
served as the Clear Creek
County High School until
2010 when it was moved to
Floyd Hill.
CCCAE was recently
awarded a $1.538 million
grant from Colorado Cre-
ative Industries to sup-
port Phase 1 of the reno-
vation. Additional support
will come from the Clear
Creek School District for
mitigation and renovation
required under the 2021
bond program approved
by the County voters.
Phase 1 will include
designing and renovating
three performance spaces,
three event/performance
centers, educational
space, dressing rooms,
practice studios, costume
and set design and stor-
age space. Phase 1 will be
finished later this year.
The new Tower Arts
Complex (as part of the
Clear Creek Center for Arts
& Education: CCCAE) will
reside on the fourth floor of
the historic building.
It will feature a 300-seat
main stage theatre and
community meeting space,
a 175-seat cabaret-style
theatre, and an 80-seat
children’s black box the-
atre. Additional areas will
have multifunctional use.
Phase 2 will expand
the industrial or scenic
and textile (costume)
learning spaces. Phase 3
will include the finish of
a professional recording
studio space and additional
storage space.
The fourth floor of the Tower of Learning. It’s in a beautiful setting, just up Chicago Creek on
Highway 103.
CCCAE aims to focus
on educational programs
for all Clear Creek’s grade
school, middle school, and
high school students in the-
atre, dance, art, textile and
construction and design.
47th Annual Madam Lou Bunch Day
By Jaclyn Schrock
With festivities returning to our Central City, we all cheer the arrival of Madam Lou Bunch Day. Thank you to all the volunteers and dedicated workers who made the 2021 Madam Lou Bunch Day such a success! Central City has had many lives and historical events remembered and forgotten. (more…)
New park benches for Gregory Plaza and other city locations
By Don Ireland
Dozens of new park benches will be coming to Gregory Plaza and other locations around Black Hawk in the near future. Black Hawk City Council approved spending $60,617 (more…)
Alderwoman Tinucci Refuses to Recuse
By David Josselyn
Mayor Fey convened the regular meeting of the Central City Council at 6:32 pm on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, in City Hall Council Chambers. Council members Jeff Aiken, Judy Laratta, and Mayor Jeremy Fey were present. Council immediately entered Executive (more…)
$1 million in new gaming fees will be decided by Black Hawk voters in November
By Don Ireland
This fall, Black Hawk voters will decide if the city should grab a slice of the sports-betting pie. If they approve, the city will gobble up an estimated $1,050,000 in new taxes from sports betting and other types of gaming that were approved by Colorado voters two years ago. Sports betting has proven to (more…)
May 28, 1940 – August 6, 2021
Frances Magdalen (Melchiors) Etzkorn died Friday, August 6, 2021 after a long-term illness. She was born May 28, 1940 in Appleton, Wisconsin. Her family moved several times, eventually ending up in Wayzata, Minnesota where she graduated from Wayzata High School in 1958. Around 1960, Fran moved to Denver, Colorado and went to work for Blue Cross/ Blue Shield of (more…)
School Resource Officer for eight years
By Curt Halsted
Gilpin County School students and staff gave School Resource Officer (SRO) Lee Ramsey a fine farewell with an assembly on the football field behind the school. Officer Ramsey, or just “Lee” as many comfortably refer to him, was originally a student of Gilpin. Maybe it was growing up in the high (more…)