As one of the last major boomtowns created from gold rushes in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, the Cripple Creek District, located just west of Pikes Peak, became home to thousands of men, women, and children from dozens of nationalities the world over. They struggled to establish homes in the rugged and sometimes inhospitable environment of high-altitude gold camp life. The need for a modicum of civilization's amenities in this roughneck enclave, which eventually became the Teller County seat, was stunted by mining's inherent injuries and illness, the harsh mountain winters, great fires that destroyed many area towns, and debilitating labor strikes. More than a century of pioneer living is represented in this evocative tour through famous and infamous local history, from the early settlers to the descendants and residents who still call the Cripple Creek District home.
The staff and the board of directors of the Cripple Creek District Museum joined for this comprehensive picture of pioneer life. Established in 1953, the museum was named in 2010 one of True West magazine's Top Ten Western History Museums. Never-before-published images, along with the writers' interpretations of those images, make for an unusual and candid synopsis of the district's history.