Georgetown and Silver Plume are a protected piece of mining history

Drive west on Interstate 70 through Clear Creek County and you pass two old towns that look almost frozen in time: Georgetown and Silver Plume. That look is not an accident. The two towns and the land between them are a recognized National Historic Landmark District.

Both towns grew during Colorado’s silver-mining era. Georgetown became a busy supply and business center, while Silver Plume sat higher up, closer to the mines. The valley walls are steep, so the towns are packed with 1800s homes, churches, and storefronts that survived because mining faded before they were torn down and replaced.

Between them runs the Georgetown Loop, a narrow-gauge railroad built to climb a steep grade in a short distance. It curls back over itself and crosses the creek on high bridges. Today it is run as a historic attraction rather than a working freight line.

The point for a resident or visitor is simple. This is a place where the history is the place. The buildings, the railroad, and the street layout are part of why the area is protected.

To learn the real story behind these towns and the railroad, start with History Colorado.