Nevadaville, Colorado, Gilpin County is a captivating ghost town that once thrived during the Colorado Gold Rush. Nestled in the mountains, it offers a glimpse into the past with its remnants of 19th-century mining life. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: Gilpin County
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 39.7983° N, 105.5256° W
Elevation: Approximately 9,000 feet (2,743 meters)
Time Zone: Mountain Time Zone (MT)
Established: 1859
Disestablished: Not officially disestablished, but declined notably by the early 1900s
Comments: Nevadaville was originally settled by miners following the discovery of gold in the area. At its peak, it boasted a population of over 4,000 residents and had numerous businesses, including saloons, hotels, and supply stores.
The town was particularly known for its rich veins of gold and silver, which attracted prospectors from all over the country. Nevadaville was a gold-mining town in Gilpin County, Colorado, United States.
It was also known in the 1860s and 1870s as Nevada City. The post office at Nevadaville was called the Bald Mountain post office to avoid confusion with other Nevadas and Nevadavilles.
Remains: Today, Nevadaville is a ghost town with several standing buildings. Some of these include the Masonic Lodge, which is maintained and occasionally used for meetings, and a few deteriorated homes and structures that echo the town’s vibrant past.
The remnants provide a haunting yet intriguing insight into the daily life of the miners and their families. Nevadaville started in 1859 after John H. Gregory found the first lode gold in Colorado. At the time, the townsite was in western Kansas Territory.
The town grew to house the miners working the Burroughs and Kansas lode. The population was predominantly Irish.
Current Status: Nevadaville is classified as a ghost town, with no permanent residents. It is a popular site for tourists and history enthusiasts who explore its remaining structures and reflect on its storied history. The Nevadaville Masonic Temple that started in 1861 still holds regular meetings.
Remarks: Despite its status as a ghost town, Nevadaville remains an important historical site, preserving the legacy of Colorado’s mining era.
High in the Rockies, its location offers stunning views and a peaceful retreat for those seeking to connect with the past. The town’s history is a tribute to the booms and busts of mining communities and the enduring spirit of those who sought fortune in the rugged Colorado mountains.
The town was one of the most important mining settlements in the area. A Masonic lodge was organized in 1859 from the Kansas Grand Lodge, becoming Nevada Number 36. After only one regular meeting, the lodge relinquished its charter and came under the jurisdiction of the new Grand Lodge of Colorado, which had taken over the territory.
The new charter was granted and the lodge became Nevada Lodge Number 4. The lodge still holds meetings as the only Ghost town lodge in Colorado. In 1861, a large fire destroyed 50+ buildings (including the boardinghouse of naturalist and taxidermist Martha Maxwell).
However, residents effectively used TNT to save the remaining parts of the city from the fire. Nevadaville was rebuilt after a fire destroyed a large piece of the town. A more serious threat to the town was that the near-surface oxidized portions of the veins were worked out in the early 1860s.
The rudimentary ore mills had trouble recovering gold from the deeper sulfide ores. The construction assured the continued prosperity of Nevadaville of successful ore smelters in nearby Black Hawk. Nevadaville prospered until about 1900, after which the population declined sharply.
