Georgetown, Colorado

A Brief History of Georgetown

Georgetown’s growth accelerated after the Belmont silver claim was staked in 1864. Earlier gold prospecting gave way to a silver boom that drew miners, mills and investment into the Clear Creek valley. Nearby Elizabethtown became a focus of activity around the rich mountain mines. In 1868, residents of the two settlements joined them as Georgetown under a territorial charter. Silver processing supported a substantial commercial center, while rail service reached Georgetown in 1877, improving access through the canyon. The town’s surviving buildings reflect the prosperity and ambitions of Colorado’s nineteenth-century silver industry.