2019 Gilpin Arts Members Show
By David Josselyn
Tucked away in the upper room of the oldest, continuously used public building in Colorado, usually referred to as Washington Hall, is a spectacular art gallery produced by the Gilpin County Arts Association and lovingly managed by Michele Roussel. Inside you will find masterpieces painstakingly created by local artists displayed in each unique room of the gallery creating a cultural experience like none other in the county. (more…)
Nevadaville Notes in the early 1900’s
By Mary Peery
News from the Gilpin County Miner, December 7, 1939 by William C. Russell, Jr.: “The Methodist Church in Nevadaville was recently been purchased by Mrs. Mildred Zook of Hinsdale, Illinois, and she plans to make an Art Studio of it. Wm. C. Russell, Jr., is boarding it up for the winter. Gordon Starbuck has purchased the old Meyhew residence and has started fixing it up. Someone has purchased the brick Odd Fellows building and is tearing it down and hauling the brick away. It is said this is one of the oldest brick buildings in Colorado and that the brick were hauled here with ox teams. (more…)
Sole inhabitant upholds civic pride of once booming mining center
By Mary Peery
Rocky Mountain News, June 3, 1930: “Nevadaville, one-time boom mining camp of the Central City district, is not dead—not by a long shot and the civic pride of its one inhabitant. Merely suggest that it is a ghost city, and Leonard Nichols, aged hermit, will resent the imputation. New distinction has come to Nichols, distinction given to few men in the United States. He is the sole inhabitant of the entire settlement. Uncle Sam sent a census enumerator to Nevadaville the other day. The enumerator looked high and low, then recorded “One Resident.” (more…)
Masonic Lodge Open House, Pancake Breakfast, and Antique Gun Demo
By Jaclyn Schrock
Nevadaville may be considered a ghost town, but those are not ghosts who live there and keep its recollections alive. Real people have brought back to us, with much restoration work, the Nevadaville Masonic Lodge No. 4 completed in 1879 on Main Street, across from the original City Hall. With improvements to the building in the last few years, the continuing members have had an annual fund raising pancake breakfast. (more…)
Gilpin County to receive $32K reimbursement from state for Human Services
By Randy Beaudette
The Gilpin County 2018 Tobacco and Health Survey results and the 2020 Cost Allocation Plan dominated the conversation at the Gilpin County Commissioners (BoCC) regular meeting held on Tuesday July 23, 2019 at the Gilpin County Courthouse. (more…)
Presents “A Weekend in New York”
by Jane Wyss
In these tumultuous political times and sweltering weather, it was a pleasure to gather Wednesday evening at the Gilpin Library, where harpist Kathryn Harms treated the assembled group to “A Weekend in New York.” First stop was afternoon tea at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The soothing sound of the harp is perfect classy background music (high tea costs $68, but our refreshments were free). In a medley of romantic and (more…)
Volunteer opportunity on August 3 & 4
By Michelle Slaughter
Volunteers are needed to help the historical project archaeologists from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday & Sunday, August 3 & 4, at the Russell Gulch Cemetery, located SW of Central City, record graves and headstones, complete site forms and take photos, and assist as needed each day. Volunteers may participate one or both days but will need to commit to one or the other—or both—by July 29. (more…)
Mid-Gilpin County, Friday, July 12th
By Jaclyn Schrock
At 11:55 a.m., Friday July 12, a Timberline Volunteer Fire Fighter called in a concern seeing smoke, followed by a 911 call in the area of Blue Spruce Road and Highway 119, near Roy’s Last Shot. Without details of the fire, Timberline Fire responded with a command vehicle, two fire engines, two (more…)
Drinking and Shooting at Nevadaville
By Mary Peery
Rocky Mountain News, July 19, 1884: “Quite a rumpus was kicked up at Nevadaville, the seat of most of the troubles in Gilpin County, early Thursday morning. Barely after midnight, George Ellis and Burke, who had been drinking in Mathews’ Saloon, appeared on the sidewalk in front of the saloon. Suddenly, and without apparent cause or warning, Burke hit Ellis in the head with a slung shot (striking weapon) knocking him to the ground, senseless. Burke made his escape for the time being by running away. (more…)
Saloons – Part 1
By Mary Peery
Nevadaville was originally named Nevada City. Nevada City was founded by A.D. Gambell and Sam Link, who formed a townsite company, only three weeks after John Gregory’s gold discovery in 1859. The Nevada Mining District was created with local laws of its own making, due to its (more…)
Bed racing, dancing, gun fights, parade, food, and fun!
By David Josselyn
The rain came bursting forth from dismal cumulonimbus clouds in Central City the afternoon of Saturday, June 15, but neither rain, nor sleet, nor cold can stop the tyranny of the Wild Bunch Gang. The 45th Annual Madam Lou Bunch kicked off its sultry celebration with a gun fight on the south side of Main Street. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so wet,” said Tom Matthews, one of the survivors of the gunfight and undertaker for the Wild Bunch Gang, but the show must go on. And go on it did as the sun pierced through the dark-slate-gray clouds shutting off the rain for the remainder of the afternoon. (more…)
Nevadaville, CO in the 1880’s
By Mary Peery
John W. Ratliff was an early settler of Gilpin County, who arrived in Nevadaville in 1860. He had a long and varied career, in which he helped Nevadaville through its developmental years and saw it through its heyday. Mr. Ratliff’s most notable accomplishments were postmaster and justice of the peace. As justice of the peace, Mr. Ratliff duties would include: settling disputes in miner’s court, officiating weddings, and swearing-in (more…)
Made possible the settling of America
By Jaclyn Schrock
May 6, 1859 a rich vein of gold was found in Gregory’s Gulch, known as Gregory’s Lode, just uphill from the North Fork of Clear Creek, in what was then the Kansas Territory. Two weeks after the discovery, Pike’s Peak Gold Rush was on, some say in two months 10,000 people joined the search for gold in what became Gilpin County. (more…)
Sheriff Williams and Nevadaville in the 1880’s
By Mary Peery
When a disaster or a catastrophe struck, someone from Nevadaville would send word to Central City for help, as following Rocky Mountain News article portrays: “He Would Run The Town” by the Rocky Mountain News, July 4, 1883 (more…)
Celebrating and remembering our local heritage
By Jaclyn Schrock
On Monday, May 6, at 7 p.m. at the Ameristar Casino on the 10th floor, there were five large tables set for eight people each. A cash bar was set in an adjourning room where guests arrived and mingled, to celebrate the 50th year the Gilpin Historical Society, (GHS). Mayors of Central City and Black Hawk enjoyed the evening with others. (more…)
Quarry Fees to benefit Historic Preservation and Open Space
By Randy Beaudette
The Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) called their Regular meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. on Wednesday May 7, 2019 at the Historic Gilpin County Courthouse. (more…)