The new boom in Central City - tourist boom in Central City, Colorado

Sunset, July, 1995 by Lora J. Finnegan

Casinos have ushered in a new era for this Colorado mining town, but the old is still as good as gold

In the spring of 1859, gold strikes along Gregory Gulch fueled the first big rash to Colorado and the growth of the Rocky Mountain town that became Central City. Eventually boom turned to bust, the mines closed down, and Central City slipped into somnolence, surviving on the dwindling number of tourists drawn to its fading Victorian charm and summertime opera. Today, Central City is in the midst of another boom, owing to its recent legalization of limited-stakes gambling.

For those who knew the town of old, revisiting now is kind of like meeting an old friend who's had a drastic makeover - it takes some getting used to. While Central City's elegant old facades have been propped up and spruced up, several disconcertingly large new casinos and a hotel have risen on the edges of town and in nearby Black Hawk.

Get beyond the noise and bustle of the busy casinos and you'll discover the quiet historic heart of this lovely old mining town. Stroll among its tidy Victorian homes, drop into an old schoolhouse museum, or take in some culture at the famed Central City Opera. If you plan to be in Denver, you can easily work in a day tour of Central City, less than an hour's drive west.

RINGING SLOTS AND SINGING STARS

The handsome brick and stone buildings that grace downtown were Central City's answer to devastating fires in 1874. Today, the lovely facades are protected by a design review board that continues to approve all rebuilding plans. Buildings that were once perilously weak have been strengthened and stabilized, though some interiors have been gutted to make way for the casinos.

Tour the 1872 Teller House (120 Eureka Street) and you'll glimpse both old and new Central City. Inside the former hotel, casino slot machines jangle while you gaze at the famed Face on the Barroom Floor a wistful visage painted by an artist in the 1930s. Upstairs, you can marvel at the tiny size of furnishings crafted to fit the petite form of Baby Doe Tabor (her tragic riches-to-rags life formed the basis for the opera Ballad of Baby Doe). The free hour-long guided tours are given as demand dictates or can be arranged by calling (303) 279-3200.

The same tour takes you into the landmark 1878 opera house (200 Eureka), which has hosted the Central City Opera since 1932. A restoration in 1990 brought back the Victorian-style theater's trompe l'oeil murals and fine-tuned its legendary acoustics. This year's performances, all sung in English, begin July 1 and include Mozart's The Magic Flute, Kurt Weill's The Threepenny Opera, and The Queen of Spades by Tchaikovsky. Tickets cost $20 to $48; to reserve, call 292-6700.

Up the street, the 1874 Thomas House (209 Eureka) is another hallmark of the town's mining heyday. Inside, antique furnishings remain just as the owner left them in 1917. The house is open from 11 to 4 daily.

The Gilpin History Museum (228 E. High Street) also gives you a glimpse of Central City's beginnings. The imposing fieldstone building served as a school from 1870 to 1967 and now houses exhibits that include a pioneer law office, an 1860s pharmacy, a turn-of-the-century classroom, and a fine doll collection. (Operated by the organization that runs Thomas House, the museum is open on the same schedule.)

Central City is 35 miles west of Denver. From Interstate 70, take exit 244 and drive northwest on State Highway 119 to Black Hawk; turn left at the second stoplight and drive 1 mile to Central City.