Stunning Gilded Age Landmarks You Can Visit In Colorado

If you’ve been swept up in the wealth and drama of The Gilded Age on HBO, you might be surprised to learn that Western Colorado has its own slice of that era—still standing and open to explore.

While America's East Coast had ballrooms and brownstones, Colorado's boomtowns built grand hotels, opera houses, and incredible Victorian homes during the same time. A handful of these buildings can still be explored today.

Western Colorado’s Gilded Age Revealed

Colorado's Gilded Age (1870 - 1900) is still on display in towns like Leadville, Glenwood Springs, and Durango, where the elegance and ambition of the era are still found in some of the unique buildings that remain today. Preserved 19th-century opera houses and Victorian hotels still stand in communities such as Ouray, Leadville, Aspen, and even Steamboat Springs.

Explore Gilded Era Towns & Landmarks

Looking for even more evidence of Colorado's Gilded Age? Check out some of our state's smaller towns, like the mining communities of Silverton or Crested Butte. Lots of work has gone into preserving 19th-century structures like the wooden storefronts and mining cabins of the 1880s. Buildings in Silverton, Colorado, such as the 1902 public school or the Wyman Building (seen above)

Preservation That Keeps History Alive

Structures still standing from Colorado's Gilded Age are only around thanks to local preservation efforts, historic district protections, and strong local pride. Several Colorado towns, like Breckenridge, Leadville, Central City, and Durango, have historic districts that help protect these structures. Several are found on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and can still be seen today.

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