Old Town Louisville in Louisville, CO

The history of Old Town Louisville is a major attraction for some of its residences. Many of the historical 100 year old wooden buildings that first lined the dirt streets have been preserved and restored to maintain the cities original glory. Louisville was first established as a mining town back in 1877 and quickly proved itself to be a highly productive community. Later approximately 30 so mines would eventually open within the current city limits as well. Much of the mining was conducted in winter months as this is was the time when fuel was in great demand for heating. It is not known exactly why, but much of Old Town was once connected by underground tunnels. Some people believe these tunnels were used to keep miners out of the cold, while others say it was way for them to visit local saloons and brothels during prohibition. One thing is for sure however, these tunnels were used by miners and their families for protection from 1910-1914. This was a time where the city saw much violence due to labor conflicts and mining strikes. Eventually mining stopped in this area around 1950 as the major coals supply became increasingly uneconomical to mine. The city now offers its residents all the modern conveniences of a forward thinking community while still holding true to its roots.