Silver barons, like Horace Tabor, lost their fortunes, leaving Leadville's economy on shaky ground. After the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, silver prices dropped, mines closed, and Leadville, which had experienced years of boom, fell into economic hardship.

Why does Leadville stand out among all of Colorado mining towns?

The name Leadville probably was chosen for the town because lead was the major mineral in both the placers and in the lode mines. By 1880, millions of dollars were being made and Leadville became one of the world's largest silver camps with a population of over 40,000.

What's the history of Leadville Colorado?

Leadville was founded in 1877 by mine owners Horace Tabor and August Meyer at the start of the Colorado Silver Boom. The town was built on desolate flat land below the tree line. The first miners lived in a rough tented camp near the silver deposits in California Gulch.