Cripple Creek & Victor, Colorado - History & Information - #8/100

Today's adventure took us to Cripple Creek & Victor, former Gold Rush towns on the side of Pikes Peak now thriving on tourism and gambling. (March 13, 2022)
Certainly one of Colorado's most interesting histories, Cripple Creek and Victor made waves in the 1890's with an unexpected Gold Rush, creating many local millionaires in the process. Despite post-WW2 decline, Cripple Creek and Victor remain strong thanks to legalized gambling and spectacular scenery.
My family and I are on a mission to learn about the history and geography of where we live by visiting every town within a 4 hour drive of our house. We live in Pueblo West and once per month we are going to venture out and explore the great state of Colorado, one town at a time!
Cripple Creek & Victor are part of the COLORADO SPRINGS METRO AREA:
• Colorado Springs Metro
PLACES NEARBY:
Florence (South 1hr)
• Florence & Penrose, Co...
Pueblo Metro Area (South)
• Pueblo Metro
Fairplay (West 1hr 15min)
• Fairplay, Colorado - H...
A Summary of Colorado History pre-1876
• A Summary of Colorado ...
Where we've been so far:
• The 100

[@waimeacowgurl]

Thank you for this very informative video. I lived in Florissant from three to twelve years old,1960's to the 70's. I took the school bus, rain (LOTS OF SNOW ), or shine to Victor Elementary up to sixth grade and then 7th grade in Cripple Creek. I have many fond memories. We would walk the hills finding many arrowheads and turquoise. I never knew all this history and I again, thank you for this video!

[@marybenson3876]

I really enjoyed your video and I’m glad you enjoyed your time in the area. I would like to correct one thing. Most basic needs are covered in town, many just choose to go elsewhere because of higher prices and less verity. We have a grocery store, hardware store, doctors office, dentist office, physical therapy. Also, thanks to the Aspen Mine Center, we have dedicated offices for Colorado Workforce Center and Social Services. And many other services that come here once or twice a week. There have many times I was unable to leave town for months but definitely didn’t feel like I wasn’t being able to get basic needs.

[@raxideezxxx8752]

Thank you for this. My father purchased an old house in Goldfield. We spent several summers in the area. It was a wonderful place back in the sixties!

[@stanobert3475]

Excellent video!!

[@riteoff2020]

AWESOME......You did a fine job 👏

[@mikecolesvids]

We just discovered your channel this week and have enjoyed watching! Your inclusion of history, detailed descriptions, and the fact ya visit make for outstanding content. Keep up the good work and we wanted you to know that we appreciate the effort - thanks!

[@SkiLodgeColorado]

I appreciate it, thanks for watching

[@project_poor_runner]

I was so bummed I only discovered Cripple Creek a week before I PCS’d from Fort Carson. Such a beautiful area and drive there.

[@SkiLodgeColorado]

Guess you'll have to return someday!

[@mikegreen1561]

I grew up in Cripple Creek

[@neilgreen007]

Beautiful presentation. Appreciated the historic details and current local color. Thank you!

[@DrJohn493]

Regret I didn't take a side trip to Cripple Creek when i was in the Lake George area fly fishing 11 Mile Canyon in 2019. Maybe on my next trip out.

[@Javelina_Poppers]

We lived in Woodland Park until 1979 and any county business you needed to conduct involved a trip to the original as yet unrestored Cripple Creek courthouse and was always a treat. Many times we opted to drive to Victor and then on to the Gold Camp road back to Colorado Springs. Gold Camp road was an old narrow guage roadbed with several tunnels to go through. The road from Divide followed an old railroad right of way and you had to pass through a tunnel outside of Cripple Creek and had to wait for a light for your turn to pass through as it was only one lane. Back then there were many old abandoned mine works and many still had the old machinery still in the buildings. There was an old wooden railroad water tower between Cripple Creek and Victor that may have been spring fed. During the winter there were cascades of ice hanging off of it. It seems that Cripple Creek today is nothing like it was back then and I wonder if the Brass Ass with the solid brass donkey is still there?

[@SkiLodgeColorado]

I find it strange to drive to small CC for county business lol. I've seen the outside of the tunnel and think about how it must've been back in the day. It's so interesting

[@jamesmadrid9478]

Good news. The brass ass and the donkey are still there. And on the terms of county business happening in cc, it is still the case, and the old courthouse is still there and being used. Cripple Creek is the seat of the county government. It was the largest city in teller for a long time until Woodland Park surpassed it through growth and the decline in population in CC/V.

[@pablol5472]

Your videos are all so damn elaborate and informational, great job! Since you seem to put so much effort into this, allow me a suggestion I think would make them even better. You should maybe consider including sections about economy, cultural traits and how all 5 aspects interact with each other: how history shapes today's culture, how geography affects the place's economy and how can you experience the place's history, geography, economy and culture in a short visit.

[@SkiLodgeColorado]

Thanks for the input and for watching. We're learning about most of these places' history for the first time so I'm not quite ready to get that deep into each particular place. It would definitely make for great content in the future though!

[@stanobert3475]

Lowell Thomas was a famous, home grown journalist back in the day, and his museum is in Victor. This Victor native son was portrayed as the cynical American journalist in the movie Lawrence of Arabia, but the movie had another name for him.

[@LindaIreneTingvik]

The View of Victor at 1:45 is NOT from 1893, it is after the 1899 fire, more like 1900 or a year or two later, and the view used when mention Victor Mine should be marked as being of the Stratton's Independence as it threw me off watching and hearing Victor Mine mention as that image came up. But, no, I am not complaining, for now I mostly enjoy checking out the story, and appreciate the time taken in creating this. I found it search for aerial views of Vindicator Valley as I need to find something I am discussing with someone that can visit the area, will I can't sitting here in Norway.

[@SkiLodgeColorado]

I should've caught that! Sometimes things get missed, misinterpreted, or in this case, misplaced. Just know I try to be as accurate as possible! Thanks for watching

[@Lois-o1f]

Norway!😲😊😘it isn't 9,500 feet elevation there🤔🤗❣️

[@wilberry7]

Like this town , thanks

[@matthewmonzillo3141]

I know cripple Creek like the back of my hand. I've been on phantom canyon road I've been on shelf road a million times

[@JEEPIMPACT]

Your videos are great 👍

[@SkiLodgeColorado]

Thanks for watching!

[@matthewmonzillo3141]

You're wrong it doesn't rain very much at all in cripple Creek or Victor the weather patterns seem to go right around them . Watching them come from the West. I've watched it a million times

[@matthewmonzillo3141]

17 pages of plans

[@raxideezxxx8752]

Horrible to see that obscene open--pit mine.