Discover Cripple Creek

Cripple Creek combines cultural history with different ways to explore the area. The Cripple Creek District Museum focuses on historic buildings; the museum’s Assay Office is devoted to testing ore samples. There are also theaters, exhibitions, and a museum about the history of the jail. Topics range from railroads and the gold camp to nature and regional recreational opportunities. This lets you plan your trip around the interests that matter to you.

Historic buildings, railroads, and ore testing

The historic complex of the Cripple Creek District Museum comprises five historic buildings. Another glimpse into the area’s history is the Midland Terminal Railway Depot: it operated from 1895 to 1949 and received an average of ten passenger trains daily. Alongside the historic buildings, passenger service and railroad operations are also topics in their own right.

The Assay Office represents a working testing office for ore samples. Miners brought their ore there to have its gold value determined. An assay office is therefore associated here with testing and valuing ore. Cripple Creek was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961.

Theater and exhibitions

The Butte Theater preserves the style of classic American melodrama. Its year-round program includes plays, musicals, comedy performances, concerts, and melodramas. Specific schedules may change. So if you plan to attend a particular performance during your trip, check the date in advance.

The Cripple Creek Heritage Center is a comprehensive information center for Cripple Creek. Its interactive exhibits about the gold camp use hands-on, tactile, audio, and video techniques. Other exhibits cover the area’s geology, flora and fauna, and regional recreational opportunities. The topics therefore extend beyond the gold camp to include nature and recreation. Exhibit content may change.

Jail history and a restored home

At the Cripple Creek Outlaws and Lawmen Jail Museum, original cells have been preserved, allowing visitors to experience historic jail conditions. The museum also displays examples of police records from the early 20th century. The cells and documents offer different ways to explore the history of incarceration: one through the preserved rooms, the other through written examples.

At the Old Homestead House, the focus is on its restored furnishings: the house was restored with handcrafted furniture and velvet bedspreads. These details highlight a different aspect than railroad operations, ore testing, or the history of the jail.

Cripple Creek and the Gold Belt Tour

The Gold Belt Tour runs through historic Cripple Creek and Victor. This brings a tour through both named places into view alongside the individual historical topics. Museums, theaters, and the route appeal to different interests and travel occasions. If you’re looking for a hotel in Cripple Creek, you can first decide what you’d like to focus on during your trip, then check hotel offers for your specific travel dates.

For the broader travel overview: Teller County.