In 1880, James A. McCandless purchased a 160-acre homestead just south of the Arkansas River. Soon after, the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad laid tracks to the Arkansas Valley's coal mines. The railroad stop became known as Frazierville or La Bran, and the McCandless homestead conveniently adjoined the railroad's branch line. McCandless staked his fortune on the railroad and platted part of his farm as a town site, naming it "Florence" in honor of his young daughter.

The discovery of the Florence Oil Field in 1881 brought increased prosperity to the area. Over the next several decades, Florence became an important center for oil production and refining. Residential areas and the downtown business district expanded to provide goods and services required by the thousands of people employed by Standard Oil.

In 1890, the discovery of gold in Cripple Creek proved a boon to Florence as well. Once again, James A. McCandless led the push for a road from Florence to the gold mines. The Arkansas River possessed plentiful land, water, and fuel—all scarce in the mining district. McCandless joined forces with several other prominent citizens and built the Florence Free Road in 1892, following the canyon of Eightmile Creek. The road was a roaring success, carrying supplies to the burgeoning mining district.

Just over one year later, Denver tycoon David H. Moffat financed the transformation of the Florence Free Road into the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad. Construction began in December of 1893, and on July 1, 1894, hundreds of people celebrated the arrival of the first train in Cripple Creek—a Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad passenger train.

In 1900, Florence's prosperity reflected the immense wealth flowing from the Cripple Creek Mining District. The population numbered seven thousand, and each day several trains carried coal, lumber, bricks, merchandise, machinery, and food into the mining district while returning heavy with gold ore. Florence's eight mills processed more than 1,300 tons of gold ore daily.

Today, the myriad of antique stores and art galleries in Florence honor the town's historical past while recycling treasures for future generations. Come and enjoy all the fine shops, restaurants, historical buildings, and many family activities in friendly Florence.

The Cripple Creek Gold Mining District, destined to become the world's richest gold camp, had a slow start. Early in the gold boom, rough trails and wagon roads were the only way to reach the mining district. Horse-drawn wagons carried gold ore 20 miles north of Cripple Creek to the Colorado Midland Railroad for shipment to smelters in Pueblo and Denver. Wagons were so costly and slow that only the richest ore left the district. Cripple Creek desperately needed modern transportation.

In 1894, the race was on to bring rail service to the mining district. From the south, the tracks of the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad climbed through rugged Phantom Canyon. The F&CC was a narrow gauge railroad with three feet between the rails, making construction through the rugged terrain easier and faster.

On May 27, 1894, the first passenger train of the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad climbed up Phantom Canyon to the town of Victor. The F&CC won the race to the mining district, connecting Cripple Creek with the modern world. For 18 months, the F&CC enjoyed a virtual monopoly on rail transportation in and around the mining district, forever changing the economic fortunes of the entire region.

Cramer served as a vital station at the lower end of the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad route. This strategic location was where helper engines that had disengaged at the top of the climb near Victor would travel back down the grade to hook up with and haul up another train. The steep grades through Phantom Canyon required these additional locomotives to push heavy ore-laden trains up the mountainside.

The station played a crucial role in the efficient operation of the railroad, acting as a staging area where crews could coordinate train movements and prepare helper engines for the next ascent. Today, while the railroad is long gone, the Cramer area remains a scenic point along Phantom Canyon Road where travelers can appreciate the engineering challenges the railroad builders overcame more than a century ago.

This tunnel was built in 1895 following a devastating flood that destroyed portions of the original railroad grade. After assessing the damage, F&CC engineers decided to raise the line out of flood danger rather than simply rebuild at creek level. This decision required them to blast, chisel, and cut their way through solid granite, creating one of two tunnels still used by travelers today.

The tunnel's construction is a testament to the engineering skill of the era. No timbers support the structure—the natural granite walls provide all necessary stability. Workers carved through the mountain using hand tools and dynamite, completing the project in less than a year. The tunnel stands as one of the most dramatic features along Phantom Canyon Road and a reminder of the determination that built Colorado's railroads.

In 1894, the Western Union Telegraph Company agreed to provide a telegraph line paralleling the railroad. McCourt Station was the site of a small telegraph office and a passing track where trains could wait while others passed. Messages sent by telegraph coordinated train movements along the busy rails, preventing collisions and keeping schedules on track.

The station was named after Peter McCourt, a prominent figure in Denver business circles who had interests in the mining district. The telegraph office here was essential for communication between Florence and Cripple Creek, allowing news of ore shipments, supply orders, and passenger arrivals to travel instantaneously. Today, the station site serves as a quiet reminder of the communication technology that helped make the railroad a success.

The Adelaide Tunnel was created after the railroad line was raised out of the creek bed, just as the first tunnel was. In order to escape flooding danger, tunnels had to be constructed in several places where the canyon walls were too steep for the tracks to simply climb around them. This second tunnel cuts through solid rock, providing safe passage high above the flood-prone creek below.

Like its companion tunnel downstream, the Adelaide Tunnel was carved from granite without the need for timber supports. The rock itself provides the structural integrity that has kept this passage open for over 125 years. Modern travelers driving through this tunnel can still appreciate the skill and determination of the workers who carved it by hand and dynamite in the 1890s.

Adelaide was a small town along the F&CC line complete with a post office and train station that also served as a hotel of sorts if the train had to stay overnight. The trains took on water at Adelaide station to help supply the large steam engines, as well as to help put out any fires that might occur along the way due to cinders produced by the locomotive.

On the night of July 30, 1895, a flash flood roared down the canyon, destroying several miles of track and heavily damaging bridges. At Adelaide, three people died when the force of the water demolished the small boarding house near the station. The raging waters carried one body twelve miles downstream. In less than a year, six miles of track between McCourt and Adelaide were relocated, and two tunnels were bored to place the track and all buildings out of reach of floodwaters.

Today, Adelaide remains one of the most historically significant stops along Phantom Canyon Road, representing both the prosperity of the gold rush era and the natural dangers that threatened it.

Built in 1897, these three steel spans replaced a wooden railroad trestle that burned in 1896. It is the only surviving original bridge on the F&CC line. When the railroad was dismantled, officials initially planned to tear down the bridge and recycle the steel, which would have required the state to build a detour around the site. Fortunately, the bridge was preserved and continues to serve travelers today.

The Florence Refiner on May 14, 1901, recounts a tragic train wreck here: On Saturday morning, May 11, 1901, freight train No. 69 ran away at the Steel Bridge. Nine loaded ore cars and the engine left the track and piled upon one another in a tangle of ore, twisted iron, and timber. The engineer died, and the head brakeman was seriously injured.

Today, the Steel Bridge stands as an impressive example of late 19th-century engineering and the most significant remaining structure from the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad era.

Wilbur was the largest community settlement along the F&CC route, home to approximately 15 families and the only schoolhouse on the railroad line. The community developed around the railroad station, providing services to travelers and railroad workers passing through Phantom Canyon.

The F&CC would sometimes stop and throw off coal to be used for heating the school during the harsh mountain winters. This small act of generosity illustrates the close relationship between the railroad and the communities it served. The schoolhouse educated children from ranching and railroad families throughout the canyon.

While Wilbur is now a ghost town, the site remains an important historical location along Phantom Canyon Road. Visitors can still find remnants of the community that once thrived here during the height of the Cripple Creek gold rush.

Founded in 1893 by brothers Frank and Harry Woods, Victor lies at the foot of Battle Mountain, site of many of the District's richest mines. The Independence Mine here made Winfield Scott Stratton the District's first multi-millionaire. In 1896, the Woods brothers were excavating the foundation for a first-class hotel in the heart of Victor's business district when they discovered a rich gold vein. They scrapped the plans for the hotel and built the Gold Coin Mine instead.

Home to mines, miners, and a bustling business district, Victor has always taken pride in its reputation as "The City of Mines." Victor's gold mining history is still being written, as it serves as headquarters for the Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mining Company—a modern gold mine located just outside of town.

The Victor Downtown Historic District reflects the wealth and prosperity that resulted from gold mining operations. The Historic Victor Hotel, located at Fourth Street and Victor Avenue, was constructed for Frank and Harry Woods, who operated a bank in a portion of the first floor retail space. Just a few blocks away, the brick foundation and grand hoist of the Gold Coin Mine are visible.

At the edge of town lies Battle Mountain, where a short walk takes you to Stratton's Independence Mine and Mill. You can also enjoy a close-up view of the Portland, Ajax, Strong, and Gold Coin Mines, along with a bird's eye view of historic Victor.

Victor's modern-day treasures are the result of its rich gold rush history. The streets of Victor were paved with gold during the heyday of the 1890s gold rush. Today, the streets are lined with a wealth of history as century-plus-old buildings stand as a legacy to the hustle and bustle of previous times.

The Lowell Thomas Museum houses artifacts and displays that depict the town's golden history, as well as a room full of memorabilia from Lowell Thomas, America's celebrated radio and television journalist. Thomas grew up in Victor and began his broadcasting career here before becoming one of the most recognized voices in America.

The museum is located in a historic building in downtown Victor and offers visitors a comprehensive look at life during the gold rush era. Exhibits include mining equipment, photographs from the District's heyday, and personal items from some of Victor's most notable residents. The Lowell Thomas collection features broadcasting equipment, photographs, and documents from his remarkable career spanning decades of American history.

Victor City Hall, built in 1899 after a fire destroyed the city's downtown, has been refurbished to its original condition. The building is home to government offices and the old town jail. Inscribed on one cell wall is Jack Dempsey's signature. The famous boxer trained in Victor and worked in the local mines mucking ore for a living before rising to become the world heavyweight champion.

Historically, fire fighting equipment was housed in a bay behind the large wooden double garage doors on the ground floor. The traditional council and court chambers are located upstairs. The building's architecture reflects the prosperity of Victor during the height of the gold rush, when the city could afford to construct substantial public buildings from brick and stone.

Today, Victor City Hall remains an active government building while also serving as a historical attraction for visitors interested in the city's remarkable past.

This trail offers access to Vindicator Valley, the historic location of the town of Independence and several of the District's largest mines. Interpretive signs with historic photos of 1890s gold mines, information about railroads, gold rush towns, as well as current-day mining and reclamation are located along the trail.

The Vindicator Mine was one of the most productive mines in the Cripple Creek District, and the trail that bears its name provides hikers with stunning views of the mining landscape that once employed thousands of workers. The town of Independence, now a ghost town, was home to miners and their families during the boom years.

The trail is accessible year-round, though conditions vary by season. Hikers can explore remnants of mining operations, including head frames, ore dumps, and foundations of buildings that once served the mining community. The interpretive signs help visitors understand the scale and significance of the gold mining operations that made this region famous.