Fairplay, Colorado

A Brief History of Fairplay

Fairplay began during the gold rush of 1859 near promising deposits along the South Platte River. It became one of South Park’s early mining settlements, alongside Tarryall and Buckskin Joe. Gold extraction drew a diverse workforce, including Chinese miners who worked the local placers. A major fire swept through Fairplay in September 1873, destroying much of its commercial district; rebuilding helped shape the historic streetscape that followed. Severe flooding damaged the placers in 1878, prompting some miners to leave while others continued working nearby. Today, historic buildings and local archives preserve the community’s mining-era stories.