1898 Sanborn Map of the downtown area of Crested Butte.

The walking tour followed Elk Avenue (right to left) from 4^th St., then turned

 South on 2^nd Street at the City Hall, and then truned left at the Nordic

Center/Ice Rink Skate Park (just off the bottom of the map).

(Above) The walking tour started at the Crested Butte Museum, itself housed in an historical building.  At various times it served as a hardware store and gas station.

(Left) Our tour leader, Elise Park, is the Executive Director of the Crested Butte Museum.

The Crested Butte Historic District is centered on Elk Avenue, the main business street.

The false fronts date from the mining boom days of the late 1800s to the early 1900s.

In the 1860s, the earliest miners sought gold and silver in the nearby camps of Ruby-Irwin, Pittsburg, and Gothic.  The American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) resumed metal production in the 1950s and 1960s.

Discoveries of both anthracite and bituminous coal brought new riches as the early precious metal deposits played out.  Coal mining sustained Crested Butte until 1952 when the Big Mine was closed.

Like most of the buildings along Elk Avenue, this one has been repurposed to meet the needs of today’s tourists and skiers.

Like most of the buildings along Elk Avenue, this one has been repurposed to meet the needs of today’s tourists and skiers.

(Above) Turning down on 2^nd Street, the MHAers head for Gibson Ridge the site of the Big Mine and coke ovens operated by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (CF&I).