Located 45 miles west of Denver, the Georgetown Loop Historic Mining and Railroad Park is connected to an important piece of regional history in Georgetown, Colorado. Mentioned as one of Colorado’s most authentic immersive experiences, the monument connects audiences to the past in a way that cultivates interest across the eras.
From the Silver Boom to a Tourist Attraction
Completed in 1884, the original Georgetown Loop was considered an engineering marvel for its time and one of Colorado’s first visitor attractions. It connected the prospering mining towns of Georgetown and Silver Plume with a corkscrew route that traveled nearly twice the distance between them, providing an incredible view of the area. It was used extensively during the silver boom of the 1880s.
The Georgetown Loop Railroad would be closed in 1939, as the line from Idaho Springs to Silver Plume was abandoned. It would be restored in the 1980s to operate during summer months as part of the Georgetown Loop Historic Mining and Railroad Park. Taking visitors high over the Devil’s Gate Bridge and winding through the same scenic Rocky Mountain pathway, the park includes the 1884 depot, the Morrison Interpretive Center, two 1860s mines, an 1871 mill building, four reconstructed mine buildings, a locomotive maintenance building, the 1874 Pohle House, and a new rolling stock shelter. Tickets and merchandise represent a powerful means of revenue for stakeholders that keep the landmark viable.
The Georgetown Loop Mining and Railroad Park recreates a significant part of Colorado’s historic Clear Creek Valley, allowing audiences to experience this history on multiple levels. That can include a tour of the Lebanon Silver Mine, which takes visitors 500 feet into an 1870s mine tunnel. It highlights what it can mean for a piece of history to be transformed into an experience.
Some of the most historic events of the Colorado gold and silver booms took place in the Georgetown Loop, which a series of interpretive markers throughout the park showcases. These pieces of history have further enabled experiences that audiences of all eras can enjoy on multiple levels.
Colorado’s First Visitor Attraction
The Georgetown Loop Historic Mining and Railroad Park has a reputation as Colorado’s first visitor’s attraction, underscoring the significance of the location that people have recognized across the eras. This significance has been actively cultivated over multiple decades, enabling experiences that are inherently connected to the history that the Georgetown Loop represents as a monument for the city, region and entire state of Colorado.
