The Rest Is History

Eureka! There's no Starbucks in Silver Plume. No Baby Gap. No Disneyfied vision of what the Olde West must have looked like. That's because Silver Plume is still the real deal: a National Historic Landmark District largely unchanged from the way it looked when silver was dug out of the Silver Plume mine more than a century ago. Unlike so many other Colorado mining towns, Silver Plume's original structures haven't been obliterated by ski condos or giant casinos, even though the town is just off I-70 and a short drive from Denver. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow, you can stroll back in time along Main Street during the Silver Plume Colorado Historic House & Building Tour, which takes you through many of the modest storefronts and Victorian cottages that still dot Main Street. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 day of tour; for reservations, call 303-829-6085.
Sat., June 24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Mon., June 25, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.