Colorado Web Cams

Black Hawk, Colorado

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Black Hawk is in Gilpin County, Colorado. It is an historic mining settlement founded in 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. Black Hawk and Central City are adjacent historic mining towns separated by only about 1 mile, with a free joint shuttle connecting them in roughly 5–10 minutes. The two towns have been in competition with each other for gambling revenue since casinos opened in both towns in 1991.

Black Hawk's elevation is 8,537 feet. It's just a short drive from Denver, and Black Hawk offers gaming, entertainment, nature, and history with a unique Western kick. Here, you can explore Colorado's authentic past, enjoy outdoor activities like hiking or biking, and experience world-class restaurants, casinos, and hotels.

The town started out in May 1859, with the discovery of gold in Gregory Gulch by its namesake, John H. Gregory. That brought thousands of prospectors and miners into the area, combing the hills for more gold veins. Five years later, Black Hawk was incorporated, on March 11, 1864, by an act of the Colorado Territorial Legislature, and is recognized as the second incorporated city in Colorado Territory, following Denver. But the town was very small in size, and it's land only covered 2.65 sq. miles (6.871 km2).

By 1910 the population was at its peak, with 1,200 residences. But the population started to drop in the early 1920s primarily due to a decline in local mining, which caused the town's economic significance to shrink over several decades. The population would drop all the way down to only 118 people in 2000, and as of the  2020 U.S. Census, the population only rebounded a bit, to 127 residences. Yet in 1991, following passage of legal casino gambling in 1990, things started to change, with big casinos being built and turning up all over town. Yet Black Hawk’s population still did not rebounded to pre-decline levels. Why? Well, because the small town deliberately transformed into a specialized, high-intensity commercial gaming hub rather than a residential community. While gambling saved the town from becoming a ghost town financially, it replaced residential infrastructure with massive, multi-story casinos and parking structures.

Black Hawk, features a cool temperate mountain climate with cold, snowy winters and mild to warm summers. It experiences roughly 127 to 147 inches / 323 to  372 centimeters of snowfall annually, with about 242 sunny days per year. Temperatures are comfortable in the summer with highs in the 70s and 80s°F / 21 to 31 centimeters) and harsh in winter. with lows often in single digits or teens.

The Lodge Casino at Black Hawk
(from the Lodge Casino at Black Hawk)

- The 2 below cams were removed by CDOT -

Co Hwy 119, 3.5 mi S of Black Hawk, CO
(Looking north/from CDOT)  

Co Hwy 119, 4 mi S of Black Hawk, CO
(Looking north/from CDOT)  

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