Friday, October 20, 2017

Falling for an Old Mining Town

When I have an opportunity to climb up from the foothills into the real mountains,
I can't wait to throw a jacket, my binoculars and a camera into the car and hit the road.

Fall is the best time to visit the mountains when the rocky hills are glorious,
dressed up in their autumn gold, and the air is crisp and the sky is brilliant blue.
Weekdays are ideal when most people are working and kids are in school.
Ain't retirement great?


We drove about an hour from Denver to the charming old mining town of Georgetown
nestled in rugged Clear Creek Canyon.
Georgetown is home to a large big horn sheep herd and are often spotted along the highway
but not today.

Soon, we  found ourselves strolling down picturesque side streets to see
some really outstanding Gothic Victorians.


Georgetown, dubbed the Silver Queen of the Rockies, features numerous original buildings
from the silver boom of the 1860s. 


This simple beauty is one of my favorites.


Wouldn't you love to have this pretty house with its very own rushing stream?


Stopping for lunch at the Happy Cooker was delicious . . . 


and made even better because it was warm enough to eat outside on the patio.
What a perfect spot to watch the world go by and imagine what it
must have been like 150 years ago . . .
ladies in their swishy long skirts and men shuffling by in heavy worn boots,
perhaps leading a tired burro laden with mining tools.


After lunch we strolled down the main street of Georgetown
and admired the famous Hotel de Paris.
This elegant European hotel, which opened in 1875, was built by a mysterious Frenchman named
Louis Dupuy. It was later revealed that Dupuy was a refugee journalist from Paris and London.


Although there are some shops in Georgetown, this town is more about absorbing
the history and beauty of a fascinating time period in the Colorado Rockies
when fortunes were made and lost overnight.


Further down the Main Street we saw an original 1870s grocery/hardware store . . .


and some stately architecture against craggy mountains, reminiscent of a western movie set.


As the sun began to slide behind the surrounding steep mountains,
the sound of the Georgetown steam engine called us into the hills
just in time to see it pull into the station. 


Visitors lined up for boarding.


The train makes it way past several gold and silver mines
on its way to the next mining town, Silver Plume. 


The sound of this massive steam engine chugging up the valley gives me chills
as I think of the miners who lived and died here in Georgetown, the Silver Queen of the Rockies.

***

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***

Linking with:
Shabby Art BoutiqueBlue Willow HouseLittle FarmsteadDwellingsBetween Naps on the Porch,
Coastal CharmStone GableA Stroll Thru LifeSavvy Southern StyleA Delightsome Life,
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson21 Rosemary LaneKatherine's Corner,
My Thrift Store AddictionFrench Country Cottage

28 comments:

  1. Gorgeous photos! Honestly, I am more than glad not to have lived 150 years ago, swishy skirts or not. Those Victorian houses are awfully pretty, though. They were very clever with engineering, too, to create cross-breezes to keep them cool in the summer.
    The Hôtel de Paris looks like it would be at home here in France. Funny how a few details can shift the mood.

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    1. Thanks so much for your insightful comments. Glad you enjoyed the trip to the mountains. Hugs, Pat

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  2. I always enjoy your trips to nearby towns outside of Denver. All of the Victorian houses are so lovely. Thanks for taking me along.

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    1. Thank you Sharon! So glad you went along with me to this beautiful little town. Hugs, Pat

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    1. Thanks so much Norma. I appreciate your sweet comment. Hugs, Pat

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    1. Thanks Cindy. Couldn't have said it better myself! Hugs, Pat

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  5. Oh my gosh what a quaint town! I love how you envisioned people from times past walking the streets.....sounds like it was the perfect day! We'd love for you to share this with our readers at Vintage Charm: http://bit.ly/2zrGQZZ
    Hope to see you there! xo Kathleen|Our Hopeful Home

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    1. Thank you Kathleen! So glad you took a moment to visit. I'm a regular linker to Vintage Charm. Hugs, Pat

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  6. Absolutely loved this post....I was taken in. The homes are lovely....the one with the stream along side...and the front doors. I fell in love with the Rockies through Tamera Alexander's first books....and 4 yrs ago, the company I worked for took us to Black Diamond for a seminar but I wasn't impressed with that town....I wanted to go off into other areas but it wasn't fisable. It was fall also and the tamaracks (?) were bright golden. So---another trip in on my bucket list. Love your blog!

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    1. Thank you very much Susan and I'm so glad you enjoy my blog. I hope you get to visit Georgetown someday; I'm sure you'd love it. Hugs, Pat

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  7. I love this post, old fashioned houses in towns like this one make my heart beat faster. The beige house made my heart sing. I want to live there!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. I'll take the little white one and we can be neighbors! Hugs, Pat

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  8. What a glorious day in the mountains. I must remember to swing up to Georgetown, I love that place!

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    1. Thanks Monika! I can't get enough of our beautiful mountains especially this time of year. Hugs, Pat

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  9. What a beautiful story you told about the old mining town. Love the homes.

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  10. What a lovely adventure! I love the Aspens -- great time to see them. I love old Victorian homes and trains. A little bit of history, too! Fun!

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    1. Thanks so much Snap! These historic towns just seem to go with fall, don't they? Glad you enjoyed the post. Hugs, Pat

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  11. I always wanted to visit there. John Denver was in a Christmas movie filmed there years ago. Really quaint town!

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  12. I lived in Leadville for a year, also very quaint!

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  13. It was "The Christmas Gift", with a nice comment from the person who lived in Georgetown-
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwSY1x_ug-M

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  14. Great trip, Pat, and yes, retirement is great! Taking in little trips like this without the crowds is the best. I love imagining all the scenes you refer to with the photos. That little white house is adorable!

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  15. What a fun post! I have always wanted to go west with my kids to show them visually about our history- you can really sense what it might have been like when you see this architecture and the town first hand- so interesting but so beautiful out there too! Enjoy~

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  16. Pat, thank you for sharing your beautiful trip at Vintage Charm! So many charming photos--pinned!

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  17. I love it Pat, and will put it on our list of places to go. We were in CO a week ago and visited Leadville, Frisco, and Fair Play. It was so fun! We toured an old town museum in Fair Play. I will be sharing a post soon. I too love the old homes and businesses! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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