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| Home > Summit County Historical Tours Info | Last Updated:03/18/10 |
FROM ONE OF THE STATE'S LARGEST HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN Breckenridge to the 10,000-foot-high, 137-year-old town of Montezuma, Summit County tells the tale of the adventurous and pioneering spirit of the Old West. Historical structures thoughout the County date back as far as the 1870's, when the Colorado gold rush was just beginning. Through museums, guided tours, slide shows, and self-guided exploration, you can discover historical points of interest throughout Summit County. Read on to discover some of the museums, tours and special places any history buff would not want to miss.
Edwin Carter Museum - The museum is home to hundreds of photos and a remarkable collection of Rocky Mountain flora and fauna carefully catalogued and preserved by the museum's naturalist founder. The museum has also recently acquired an exquisite collection of hand-crafted horse and ox shoes. 970.453.9022 Historical Walking Tour - Offered by the Summit Historical Society, the tour includes visits to some of the earliest homes in Breckenridge including the stately residences of the late 1800's. Breckenridge's first church, and the Edwin Carter Museum tour. Gold mine tours are also conducted in the Washington mine and to the Lomax Placer Gulch site. 970.453.9022
The Old Schoolhouse - Established in 1865, the town of Montezuma (elevation 10,200 ft.) is located east of Keystone Resort and today boasts about 75 residents - a far cry from its peak population of 800 back in the silver mining days. The area's first school opened in 1880, served Montezuma until 1958 and is still standing today. Tours are conducted by appointment only. 970.453.9022
The Frisco Schoolhouse Museum - Located at 120 Main Street in Frisco's Historical Park. The museum offers information about the earliest days of mining and the town's first settlers. The building was originally a one-room schoolhouse. Historical Walking Tour - Included in this self-guided tour is Frisco's Historical Park - which offers a look at ten historic buildings, including the towns original 1881 jail, a log chapel and recreated trapper's cabin. The tour originates at the Schoolhouse Museum. 970.668.3428.
The Dillon Dam - The original town of Dillon is impossible to tour these days, as it now lies 250 feet under water beneath the Dillon Reservoir. First settled in the late 1870's, the tiny town was clustered around the scenic confluence of the Snake, Ten Mile and Blue Rivers. But the entire town was forced to move in 1960 when construction began on the Dillon Dam - an ambitious project that created a lake out of the three rivers and now suppplies water to the city of Denver. Summit Historical Museum, located at 403 LaBonte Street. The building was originally a school house built in 1883, and then became a church in 1910 when the new school was built. Dillon Historic Tour of Homes - Visit the original Dillon Town Hall and the summit Historical Museum. Other buildings saved from the original town site include the Arapahoe Cafe and Pub on Lake Dillon Drive, and the Historic Mint Restaurant and the Old Dillon Inn on Highway 6 in Silverthorne. 970.453.9022
If you are interested in learning more about local history, there are many good books on the subject, including: "Summit: A Gold Rush History of Summit County, Colorado" by Mary Ellen Gilliland; "Blasted, Beloved Breckenridge" by Mark Feister; "It's Easy Edna, It's Downhill all the Way" by Edna Strand Dercum; and "Dillon, Denver and the Dam" by Sandra Pritchard. These and other books about local history are available at area libraries and local book stores, or through the Summit Historical Society. 970.453.9022 Related Interest: Click to Play Breckenridge - Copper Mtn Music Ski Video
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