If you didn’t feel the “Boom!” you weren’t in the Town
By Lynn Volkens
The Casey breathed fire for more than half an hour on the 4th of July as 12,000 explosive shells rocketed Black Hawk’s 22nd annual Boom Town fireworks show into the night sky. The launch site, positioned on the Casey promontory, spewed fiery fountains and (more…)
For Insurance Money
PRESS RELEASE – Two jury trials and four years later, Terrence John Ballowe, 41, has been found guilty of setting the fire that seriously damaged the bed & breakfast he owned and operated in a heavily wooded area of Black Hawk in order to collect the insurance money. (more…)
30 Years Ago – July 8, 1983
An enthusiastic crowd waved toilet paper and shouted “hooray” as Alderman Bruce Schmalz recalled the words of Central City’s first tourist Horace Greeley, who not only said “Go West young man,” but also “Excuse me, where are the restrooms?” The toilet paper (more…)
Newest Casino Grand Opening
PRESS RELEASE – The City of Black Hawk welcomed their newest casino with the Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening Ceremony of the Saratoga Casino, Black Hawk. Following in the grand tradition of Saratoga Springs, the ceremony featured a live race horse and two Dixieland Bands. (more…)
In Black Hawk
PRESS RELEASE – Saratoga Casino Black Hawk officially opened its doors for the first time today at 1 p.m. in Black Hawk, Colorado. The opening comes just five months after Saratoga Harness Racing, Inc. (SHRI), owner of Saratoga Casino and Raceway in Saratoga (more…)
Pastor’s Pulpit
By Pastor Tom Davidson
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. The words used here mean to lay aside anything, any obstacle, and any obstruction that would hinder your running. (more…)
Central City Opera on Saturday, July 6th
By Tyler Hypnarowski
One week after opening night of The Barber of Seville, the team at Central City Opera will be premiering Our Town, the opera based off of Thornton Wilder’s play of the same name. And while the story has been staged numerous times since its 1938 inception, it is still a (more…)
Life Coaching
By Dr. Mike Brooks
My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of 69. He was a smoker and had been for years. For some unexpected reason he just up and quit one day. We still don’t know the reason why he did. I wonder if it was a doctor who told him to, or maybe he did it on his (more…)
A year as our daughter in Gilpin
By Cary Ihme
The Beginning
It was a hot July day in the summer of 2012. Tom walked into the house and said “I’ve been thinking.” When something like that comes out of his mouth, it usually means he is dreaming about his next career move or a high dollar purchase. The next words that came (more…)
On Hwy 46 near fairgrounds
By Lynn Volkens
Two very large (30,000 gallon) green-colored propane storage tanks were recently spotted being trucked to the old McCollum’s Excavating site located at 665 Highway 46, just across the highway from the county fairgrounds. A 6.4 acre site was purchased last (more…)
Instant buying is as old as Mount Evans (the park that is)
By Forrest Whitman
I was amused to note that PayPal had billed me for two black cocktail type evening gowns with a plunging neckline. I owed them $114 for each. My buddies kidded me a lot and wanted to see me wear them. I responded that I’ve never thought of myself as the evening gown kind of guy. They looked too small anyway. (more…)
Gilpin History presents film premiere and annual dinner
By Patty Unruh
Gilpin History, formerly the Gilpin Historical Society, presented its annual Little Kingdom Dinner June 27 in the Lava Room at the Reserve Casino, along with the world premiere of the new documentary, The Face on the Barroom Floor: The Poem…The (more…)
Coordinated firefighting effort pays off
By Lynn Volkens
Gilpin County escaped potential wildfire disaster last week, thanks to the work of firefighters and several other factors that fell into place at the time. The Dakota Hill fire, located on National Forest land, about four miles west of mile marker 10.5 on Highway (more…)
2012 Audit shows City in strong financial shape
By Lynn Volkens
Black Hawk’s City Council met the afternoon of June 26, 2013. Mayor David Spellman and Aldermen Linda Armbright, Paul Bennett, Diane Cales, Jim Johnson, Greg Moates and Benito Torres were present. The Council approved several financial projects, listened (more…)
Central City Opera Review
By Aaron Storms
After the traditional Yellow Rose Ball kicked off the opening of the Central City Opera season on Saturday afternoon, the historic Opera House in Central City was packed that evening with well-dressed ladies and gentlemen, and of course the numerous debutantes (more…)
30 Years Ago – July 1, 1983
Tuesday, following two days of steady rain combined with a record spring run-off, North Clear Creek flowed out of its channel along Apex Road, flooding several wooded areas. County road crews have made several temporary dams by piling up dirt along the side of (more…)