Georgetown–Silver Plume Historic District facts for kids
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Georgetown–Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District
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The Georgetown Loop high bridge as seen c. 1885.
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 Location in Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Georgetown, Colorado and Silver Plume, Colorado |
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| Area | 3,288 acres (1,331 ha) |
| Built | 1859 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000243 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 13, 1966 |
| Designated NHLD | November 13, 1966 |
The Georgetown–Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District is a special place in Colorado. It's recognized by the United States government as a very important historical area. This district includes two towns, Georgetown and Silver Plume. It also features the famous Georgetown Loop Historic Mining & Railroad Park.
These towns are nestled in the Rocky Mountains along Clear Creek. They were once busy silver mining towns. The district shows us what buildings and mining structures looked like during Colorado's "Silver Boom." This was a time from 1864 to 1893 when silver mining was very popular.
The Georgetown Loop Railroad is a fantastic example of old-time railway building. It's a special kind of train track called a "narrow gauge" railway. This railway was built to climb a big hill, rising 601 feet (183 meters) in just 2.0 miles (3.2 kilometers)! Today, you can ride historic steam trains on the loop. These rides happen from late May through early October, when the autumn colors are beautiful. You can also take tours of the Lebanon Silver Mine.
This entire district was officially named a National Historic Landmark on November 13, 1966.
A Look Back: The Story of Georgetown and Silver Plume
The story of this area began in 1859. That's when two brothers, George and David Griffiths, found gold near what is now Georgetown. The town of Georgetown was later named after George.
While the gold found here wasn't huge, a very important discovery happened in 1864. A large amount of silver was found! This discovery started a big "boom" in the area. Georgetown quickly became a busy center for thousands of miners. These miners worked in the hills all around the town.
Silver Plume grew up as one of the smaller towns nearby. To connect these two important mining towns, the Georgetown Loop Railroad was built in 1884. This made it easier to move people and goods between them.
However, silver mining started to slow down in the 1890s. Since then, fewer people have lived in the area. But thanks to its history, the Georgetown–Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District remains a fascinating place to visit and learn about the past.
