Oro City, CO is a former mining town situated in the California Gulch just east of Leadville. Several original structures are remaining, mostly collapsed and in ruins.
The town got its name from the Spanish word for gold: Oro. One of the single biggest placer gold strikes in the state’s history occurred there, worth nearly three million dollars.
History
Gold was first discovered in 1859 where California Gulch meets the Arkansas River. It was big enough to cause a rush though. A year later, Abe Lee, found a lot of placer gold six miles east of the Arkansas River.
This caused the boom and Oro City and the surrounding area had 10,000 residents. Horace Tabor was one of the placer miners in 1860.
After most of the placer gold was depleted, the population shrank to a few hundred. In the mid-1870s, silver was discovered and a new rush was on. The region was filled with silver prospectors, however, most favored settling in the newer town of Leadville. In 1890 the census reported a population of 222.
Getting There
From Leadville – Take Highway 24 east from town for 3 miles to reach California Gulch. Turn right onto County Road 39 to reach the site. The townsite lies at GPS coordinates 39°14′05″N 106°15′08″W.
Details
Nearby Town: Leadville, CO
County: Lake County
GPS Coordinates: 39°14′05″N 106°15′08″W.
Roads: 2WD
Season: Year round