Downtown Leadville

Stroll Leadville’s main street, and you’ll be surrounded by ornate architecture, colorful storefronts, and local businesses set in original Victorian buildings. Unlike many other Colorado mining towns, Leadville still looks much as it did in years past, with local merchants lining the streets of historic Harrison Avenue and a down-to-earth, local vibe.  In 1961 the Leadville Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark including 70 square blocks of original Victorian architecture as well as 50 turn-of-the-century buildings in the city, most of the buildings dating to between 1880 and 1905.

Take a self-guided walking tour! Check out History Guide for a tour of significant buildings and a map.  Available to download or pick up at the Leadville Visitor Center.  These include the largest opera house west of the Mississippi, the saloon visited by Oscar Wilde, the church where “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” married in 1886, Leadville’s City Hall, and Victorian homes with towers and turrets.

Visit the quaint shops and eateries, book a stay in an elegant 1880s inn, or take a historic walking tour. You’ll find it easy to imagine the silver mining boom days in Leadville.