Gold Hill & Black Hawk: A Study in Contrast

Two old mining towns in the foothills have different visions of their future

Black Hawk, Colorado -- founded 1859; incorporated 1886; population (2000 census), 118
Gold Hill, Colorado -- founded 1859, unincorporated, population (2000 census), 210

As both of these historic mining towns in the foothills west of Denver/Boulder close out their mutual sesquicentennial year, they have been in the news lately for other reasons. Gold Hill residents made their passionate desire to remain laid-back, rural and anchored to the 19th century known. The Boulder County Commissioners listened to them and just voted against paving 1 1/2 miles of Sunshine Canyon Road leading into Gold Hill. Commercial business in Gold Hill is pretty much limited to the Gold Hill Inn (a restaurant), the neighboring Blue Bird Lodge (seasonal) and the local Mercantile. The Climb is a not-for-profit shuttle linking Gold Hill with Boulder, 10 miles to the east.

Black Hawk was forever changed after 1990, when Colorado voters passed a constitutional amendment permitting limited stakes gambling in three struggling old mining and mill towns: Black Hawk and Central City, one mile apart west of Denver, and Cripple Creek, west of Colorado Springs. Revenues were to go to historic preservation, but the result was the disappearance of small local businesses serving dwindling populations and visitors who came in search of old Colorado.

Of the two Glipin County communities, Central City initially restrained itself to small storefront casinos, while Black Hawk blasted away steep hillsides to permit the construction far larger casino/hotels, each accommodating more people than the town's population. For years, big casino shuttle buses have been rumbling through Clear Creek Canyon, hauling gamblers from the Front Range to the slots.

Last year, Colorado voters blew the lid of limited stakes gambling, raising the top wager from $5 to $100. Tables replaced many of the slots. Casinos could remain open 24/7. And Black Hawk went wild. How was a constitutional amendment intended to encourage and fund historic preservation perverted to permit a high-rise casino/hotel? I have no answers, but I do know that the Godzilla-like Ameristar Casino Black Hawk now looms the little mining town. Here are some numbers: 33 stories, 536 hotel rooms and suites, 15,000 square feet of meeting space, spa, rooftop swimming pool, $235 million cost to build by Las Vegas-based Ameristar Casinos. Unlike Gold Hill's quest for sustainability, community and survival, Black Hawk in general and Ameristar in particular have only one goal: profit.


The backstory: Central City and Black Hawk rode the crest of Colorado's first mining boom gold was discovered in Gregory Gulch. When richer mines were developed elsewhere, the towns declined, and after a time, abandoned buildings and empty houses peppered the old mining district. Without the Central City Opera which performs seasonally and the Gilpin County offices, Central City would have become a ghost town, sweeping Black Hawk with it.

When gambling was approved, historic storefronts were restored, floors were shored up to support heavy slot machines and modest casinos opened. As Black Hawk bent the historic preservation rules to permit the construction of larger casinos, the smaller ones closed, and empty storefronts line town streets. Now comes the high-rise Ameristar. What will happen if and when its promise is unfulfilled, if it doesn't pay back that $235 investment, if it closes? A vacant 33-story shell would join the old mills, old mines and old storefronts telling of Black Hawk's boom and bust cycle.

Meanwhile, I'm making a bet too: My bet is that no matter what happens to Black Hawk, Gold Hill will happily survive, even without a paved road leading to it.