Strike it Rich in Gilpin County
Gold strike date: May 6, 1859
FUN FACT: Black Hawk and Central City are two of only three towns in Colorado that feature casino gambling with more than 25 casinos.
Join Gilpin County as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Colorado's most significant lode gold strike. To mark this important milestone the county will host a variety of festivals and events in the summer of 2009. The festivities begin on May 2, 2009, with Gregory Day celebration commemorating John H. Gregory, the man who started it all in 1859.
Gregory's strike signaled an opportunity for instant wealth and had a profound effect on Colorado's national appeal, giving rise to the important towns of Central City and Black Hawk. Nicknamed "the Richest Square Mile on Earth," the area's wealth brought culture and refinement to the region, including the first grand opera house in Colorado, which still has performances each summer.
This unique combination of rugged mining towns and cultural sophistication is still apparent today in the region's historic architecture, grand churches and historic cemeteries and through its various shops, casinos, galleries and museums. Take a guided mine tour or meander through the ghost towns nearby. No matter what you choose to do in Gilpin County, any season will be an extraordinary experience for the whole family.