History of Cripple Creek
Here is a little history of Cripple Creek and some pretty cool pictures even if I do say so myself.
1885
1911 Womack could have been rich but while on a drinking spree he sold his claim for $500 and died penniless in 1909. They also say that Roy Rogers is related to Bob Womack. I don't know how true that is but this is what I found.
Two Denver real estate men, Bennett and Myers plotted an 80 acre town site and began selling lots in 1891. In 92 the town was officially incorporated and named Cripple Creek after a stream that ran through it.(not after fish that had broken legs, who said that Scott?haha) This is the real reason behind the name. A rancher who had seen a cow fall while crossing the creek and become injured named it earlier. That is almost as bad as the made up one.
During the first year the miners produced about $200,000.00 worth of gold. By 1893 production was measured by the millions. In 1400 more than$18,000,000.00 worth of gold was mined there. This was the peak year with more than 500 working mines.
Fewer than 500 people lived in Cripple Creek in 1891 but in less than a year grew to 2500. In 1893-10,000 and by 1900 some sources claim there were 55,000 people.
The main street, Bennett Ave. supported half the districts banks, the stock exchange, four dept. stores, two dance schools, a business college, four bookshops, nine photographers, dozens of specialty shops, 49 grocery stores, 20 meat markets, 14 bakeries, 11 laundries,5 livery stables, 11 blacksmiths and milk was delivered by 11 dairies. We're talking major big city for that time.
The National was considered Colorado's finest hotel, with 5 floors and 150 guest rooms. The city also had 30 restaurants, 730 saloons, gambling halls and a variety of theaters, parlor houses, cribs and the Grand Opera House. Residents attended one of the 34 churches and by 1903 over 3,849 students were enrolled in the Districts 19 schools. They even offered night classes for adults.
There was also the Gillett Sportsman park where people could watch a bull fight in the bullring or watch a horse race. They could go to the Grand and see a rodeo or watch a boxing match where they could see boxers like Jack Dempsey and Jack Johnson. They could watch a ballgame. They sometimes had as many as 5000 visitors. They also had winter iceskating on lighted ice rinks.
Cripple Creek was almost destroyed by fire on April 25, 1896. Fifteen acres were gone and then four days later a second fire wiped out everything but a few houses. Started by an oil lamp. After the second fire they started building the city back with brick. Do you think this is where the story of the 3 pigs came from?
The decrease of gold prices and closing of the mines made the town almost non-existant. For a long time they relied on tourism until 1991 when limited stakes gaming was approved and the town is once again growing.
What I hate to see is some of the wood structures that have been there from the beginning are starting to fall in. There are some places where they are repairing the old brick with new that is close to the same color and size but you can tell the difference. But they do have to follow strict codes of how to restore and what the places end up looking like.
The most fun part of the story is the decendants of the original donkeys they used in the mines are there and run free. They have free reign of the town. One of the managers of one of the casinos got to talking to us and said they have more rights than the citizens of Cripple Creek. If one of the donkeys are eating someones garden or busting down their fence they don't even have the right to shoo them out. You see them from time to time. Last year they were in the campground and came right up to the camper window. I rolled my window part way up but talked to them. They acted like they were listening.They say they can be very unpredictable. They are fun to watch though.
Oh, yes, and they have a narrow gauge railroad with a train you can ride past some of the mines.
My scanner has become obsolete so I can't put any more of the old photos up so you will have to just see the ones I took.
