In 1859 John Gregory discovered “The Gregory Lode” in a gulch near Central City, Colorado. Within two weeks the gold rush was on and within two months the population grew to 10,000 people seeking their fortunes. Thus Central City was born and was soon the leading mining center in Colorado. In 1874 most of the buildings in Central City were destroyed by fire. The town was rebuilt, this time of brick and stone and most of these stand today. Central City is located in the Rocky Mountains, 39 miles west of Denver. It is at the southern end of Gilpin County at an elevation of 8,496 feet.

There are many summer and winter sports and outdoor activities to be enjoyed in and around the county. These include: cross-county skiing, snowmobiling, snow-shoeing, sledding, fishing, kayaking, hunting, camping, back-packing, photography and of course gold panning. Abundant wildlife abounds throughout the area. Central City has endured many boom and bust periods, including the current phase of limited stakes gaming begun in 1991. Come and enjoy the ambiance of this historic city.