black hawk casino colorado indian casino

The Wild West flared up like a bright light here, but when the Gold Rush died down, the town was left nearly abandoned until the state gave it the green light to operate casinos. Just down the road, the tiny town of Black Hawk has similarly embraced gambling, with casinos that look a bit more modern from the outside but are just as expansive on the inside.ĭrive a few hours south from Clear Creek County’s casinos and you’ll find Cripple Creek, another historic gold mining town near Colorado Springs with a similar history. Since the 1990s, many of the historic buildings in Central City have been converted to casinos, with a wide array of slot machines and video gambling machines as well as traditional gaming like poker, blackjack, craps, and roulette. But the street view aside, it’s what inside those buildings that has truly changed. On Eureka Street, in fact, someone from 100 years ago could time travel to present day and only find one building missing. So maybe it’s no surprise that today, both of these towns are places where locals and visitors alike go to let loose and do their best to seduce Lady Luck.Īt first glance, downtown Central City still looks like it’s stuck in the 19th century, with its brick paved streets and charming old buildings. Fistfights, knife fights, revolver fights, and other types of violence abounded in a type of free-for-all that wouldn’t look at all out of place in a Western film. They were wild places, full of desperate and hopeful miners all looking to get rich, with brothels and saloons galore. The towns of Black Hawk and Central City were founded not long after.

The area became known as the Clear Creek Mining District, and so much gold was mined from the hills and mountains there that it was given the illustrious nickname, “The Richest Square Mile on Earth.” Within just a couple of short months, the population of the area grew to over ten thousand people, all of whom were searching to make their fortune. Gregory found gold dust while he was panning in Clear Creek, in a gulch now known as Gregory Gulch in his honor. The Historic Casinos of Clear Creek Countyĭuring the mid 19th century, in a small patch of mountainous land less than fifty miles from Denver, a very lucky prospector named John H. Try your luck in one of Colorado’s casino towns, and see if you can strike gold. Since it was partially legalized in 1990, gambling is only allowed in three towns in Colorado: Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek, but in each of those towns are some of the most unforgettable gaming experiences you’ll find anywhere. The days of mining gold from the Rockies is, for the most part, behind us, but luckily for you, there’s still a way to get rich in Colorado.

Black hawk casino colorado indian casino