Colorado’s heavy black sand that ruined gold mining turned out to be silver worth millions

Cloud City Leadville (Colorado)

Leadville went from 5,000 miners to 30,000 treasure hunters in three years.

Even Horace Tabor struck it rich in the summer of 1878 after grubstaking two miners on a small claim.

Within months, he became Leadville’s Silver King.

By late 1879, this muddy camp had exploded to 30,000 residents, nearly matching Denver’s size with 120 saloons and 18 gambling houses.

Here’s how rich silver built Cloud City’s wild reputation, and how you can walk the same streets today at the Leadville Historic District.

The Discovery That Changed Mindsets

In 1877, miners found that the heavy black sand clogging their gold equipment contained lead carbonate with silver.

This material they once hated turned out to be valuable.

The first silver miners kept this discovery secret for almost two years, quietly securing their spots before others rushed in.

When news got out in 1879, the Colorado Silver Boom started, bringing waves of fortune seekers to the mountain town.

August Meyer Establishes the Foundation

August Meyer, a mining engineer trained in Germany, saw value in Leadville’s minerals on Fryer Hill where others couldn’t.

In 1876, Meyer bought the first load of lead carbonate ore and sent it to St. Louis for testing. Though not very rich, it showed promise.

Meyer then set up sampling works near Oro City to test local deposits and buy ore from miners who couldn’t process it themselves.

Forming ‘Harrison Reduction Works’

Meyer teamed up with Edwin Harrison in 1877 to build the area’s first smelter, the Harrison Reduction Works to separate valuable metals from rock.

They built the facility at what became the corner of Harrison Avenue and Chestnut Street, creating the first industrial center in town.

Harrison Avenue, named after Edwin Harrison, became Leadville’s main street and still is today, lined with historic buildings from the boom days.

From Oro City to Leadville

Early settlers called their community “Slabtown” because many lived in quick shelters built on wooden slabs or temporary mining camps.

In 1878, when residents asked for a post office, Horace Tabor named the town “Leadville” after the lead ore found in the area.

The town became official that same year with Tabor as its first mayor, creating proper town services and a government.

Horace Tabor Strikes Rich Deals

Horace Tabor ran a general store when two broke miners, George Hook and August Rische, asked for supplies in 1878.

Tabor gave them goods in exchange for one-third of anything they found.

On May 3, 1878, their claim, the Little Pittsburg Mine, revealed massive silver deposits, starting the rush that changed Leadville.

Tabor made over a million dollars from selling his share in the mine in 1879, changing him from shopkeeper to mining tycoon.

The 1879 Population Explosion

Leadville grew from a few hundred people in early 1878 to about 30,000 by the end of 1879, beating out other western boom towns.

Word spread of major silver finds in the summer of 1878, bringing floods of people despite harsh mountain conditions and basic housing.

Streets were packed tightly with newcomers. Tents and simple cabins spread across the valley as builders couldn’t keep up with demand.

Boomtown Infrastructure Takes Shape

By 1880, Leadville changed from mining camp to proper city with gas lights, water pipes, and 28 miles of streets.

Leadville featured gas lighting, water mains, 28 miles of streets, five churches, three hospitals, six banks, and a school for over 1,100 students.

Over 100 miles of rail linked the silver mines to smelters under companies like Denver & Rio Grande as noted by the Western Mining History.

The Tabor Opera House Brings Culture

Horace Tabor built his Opera House in 1879 as the most expensive building, a three-story structure made of stone, brick, and iron.

Workers finished it in just 100 days, amazing for such a remote location. Every piece had to come up from Denver by wagon.

The Opera House brought entertainment, hosting famous performers and connecting the isolated town to the outside world.

The Darker Side of Boom Times

Leadville also became known for lawbreakers. Fights broke out over mining claims, gambling debts, and drunken arguments.

The town had 35 adult entertainment houses, 115 card game houses, and 120 saloons serving miners looking for fun after dangerous work.

State Street, now Second Street, became the center for these activities. These dens ran all day and night as miners spent their silver wages.

The Railroad’s Impact on Smelting Businesses

The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad allowed faster shipping of ore and cheaper delivery of supplies, food, and building materials.

But the railroad hurt Leadville’s smelting business.

Companies found it cheaper to ship ore to Denver or Pueblo for processing, causing three-quarters of its sixteen smelters to shut down.

Visiting Leadville (Colorado)

You’ll find Leadville at 10,152 feet elevation in Lake County, Colorado, about 100 miles west of Denver.

The National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum at 120 West 9th Street offers self-guided tours of the Matchless Mine and Baby Doe’s cabin.

Harrison Avenue contains the Tabor Opera House and the Mineral Belt circles the town for hiking and biking historic trails.

Read More from WhenInYourState.com:

• This Colorado Town Legally Owns an Entire Alpine Glacier – And It Might Melt Away by 2045
• The Magnificent Colorado Peak that Inspired “America the Beautiful”
• The Eccentric Colorado Town with Coffin Races, a 400-Game Penny Arcade, and 8 Mineral Springs