Historic Downtown Leadville Walking Tour

Leadville, Colorado, once a booming mining town during the late 19th century, is nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains and was once one of the richest and rowdiest towns in the American West. Harrison Avenue, the heart of Leadville's historic downtown, bustled with prospectors, entrepreneurs, and colorful characters who shaped the town’s vibrant legacy. Today, the Leadville Historic Downtown Walking Tour offers visitors a chance to step back in time with over 30 stops at iconic buildings, including grand Victorian-era hotels, saloons, and opera houses. Along the way, you’ll discover fascinating stories of fortune, folly, and enduring community spirit, while admiring the unique architecture that has withstood the test of time.

This tour of Harrison Avenue is designed as a brief introduction to a portion of the commercial buildings in Leadville that make up the National Historic Landmark District.

Tour Start: The tour starts at the Old Church on the corner of 8th St. and Harrison Ave. You can complete the tour sequentially or choose your own adventure and focus on buildings that pique your interest. To enhance your tour experience, allow location access by clicking on the arrow at the top of the map screen. On sunny days, increase your screen brightness to improve visability.

This historic walking tour of downtown Leadville is brought to you by a partnership of the Leadville Historic Preservation Commission, O'Rourke Media Group/Herald Democrat, the Lake County Public Library and the Leadville Main Street Program. Special thanks to our supporters and contributors - The Lake County Community Fund, Visit Leadville-Twin Lakes, the City of Leadville and the Lake County Civic Association.

There are countless books detailing Leadville’s history. Among the sources used for this tour are:

“Leadville: Colorado’s Magic City” by Edward Blair, “Leadville Architecture” by Lawrence Von Bamford, “Historic Leadville in Rare Photographs and Drawings” by Christian J. Buys, and several booklets published by both Georgina Brown and Rene Coquoz.

Two other stops you may want to make before or after the tour:

• The Leadville Visitor Center located in the American National Bank Building at 460 Harrison Ave. At the visitor center you can find information relating to Leadville, including where to eat, lodging, tours, etc.

• The Lake County Public Library, 1115 Harrison Ave.

You may be interested in the library’s renowned comprehensive collection of historic books, photos, periodicals and more. The library houses the Colorado Mountain History Collection and is a great stopping place for genealogists. Also, thanks to funding efforts by Lake County, Resurrection Mining Company and the library, past editions of the Herald Democrat are available at the library on microfilm.