City of Cripple Creek

719-689-3461

A Part of Colorado’s Rich Heritage

Cripple Creek played an integral role in the rich heritage of Colorado. The first homesteaders arrived here in the mid-1800s. In 1890, a ranch hand named Bob Womack discovered gold and Cripple Creek changed forever. By 1900, more than 50,000 people called the gold camp home. When the golden era ended in 1918, more than $300 million in gold had been mined in what would be the last great gold rush in North America. By the 1920s, only about 40 mines remained, but two decades later, in the 1940s, the town began to promote itself as a tourist destination, offering visitors a glimpse into the past. In 1991, the town was opened to limited-stakes gaming and today, the venerable gold camp has reinvented itself as a full-service tourist destination with 12 casinos offering 24 hour high-stakes gaming and great museums and attractions, all the while preserving and showcasing its rich history.