Guide to Local Artists, Galleries, Historic Sites, Tours, & more PDF, 1706 kb
Museums & Guided Tours
Hard Tack Mine & Museum County Road 20 (Engineer Pass Road) 2 1/4 miles from Lake City 970.944.2506 www.hardtackmine.com Open 10 am to 5 pm everyday from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Open during the winter by appointment.
Take a tour of this underground mine and museum, and experience how hard rock miners lived and worked over 100 years ago. The tour includes displays of antique mining equipment, photos of the area when mining boomed, the area's largest rock collection, and unique lighted displays depicting how miners dug and blasted through rock using only hand tools and dynamite. Admission: $10 for adults, $6 for children.
The mine is located on the Alpine Loop National Back Country Byway, near the Hidden Treasure mill site and the ghost town of Treasure City. It is a constant 45 degrees F in the mine, so a light jacket is recommended. Tours are handicap accessible and state inspected. Group tours are available year round by appointment.
Open 10 am to 5 pm, Monday through Saturday and 1 to 4 pm on Sundays, Memorial Day through September. Open in winter by appointment. Groups are welcome all year. Admission: $3 adults, $1 children, free for kids 7 and under
Guided Tours at the Museum The Museum hosts popular guided walking tours regularly throughout the summer. All tours meet at the Museum.
National Historic District Tours Get a detailed look at the people, stories, architecture, and notable builders behind Lake City's historic structures. When: every Thursday from June 19 through August 14; meet at the museum at 10:30 am. Cost: $5 for adults; $2 for children under 10.
Cemetery Tours The full spectrum of Lake City's Victorian-era personalities is revealed in these fascinating tours. When: every Tuesday from June 17 through September 9; meet at the museum at 10:30 am. Cost: $5 for adults; $2 for children under 10. Your own transportation is required.
Ghost Tours A long-time Lake City tradition is the telling of ghost lore and legend. Join in the tradition, and keep the memory of the local ghosts alive. When: June 20, 27, July 11, 18, 25, August 8, 15, 22; meet at the museum at 8 pm. Cost: $8 for adults; $2 for children under 10. Dress warmly and bring a flashlight.
Interior Tours of Historic Homes These thematic tours of some of Lake City's most interesting homes will take you right inside for a rare glimpse of our mountain heritage. When: July 25 & August 1. Cost: $10 for adults; $2 for children. Each tour leaves the Museum at 1 pm. Your own transportation is required.
Exhibits New exhibits at the museum this year feature the deadly 1929 snow slide at the Empire Chief boarding house, Victorian toys, and ores and minerals from the area, plus Alferd Packer, county courthouse, and barbershop displays. Our new “Melting Pot” display traces immigrants to Lake City. Outdoor displays include the jail, caboose, and Helen’s Garden, a display of flowers and vegetables that might have grown in an 1890s- era Lake City garden.
Gift Shop The Museum Gift Shop carries souvenir items, plus a good selection of local books:
Memorable Cooks cookbook compiled by Linda Blevins and Grant Houston
Historic Homes of Lake City, by Grant Houston
Cemeteries of Hinsdale County
Lake City Geology by Joe Steele
Early Day Tales In and Around Lake City by Herman Heath
Mountain Memories by Joel Swank.
Genealogy Resources The Historical Society has created a genealogy resources page on its website at www.lakecitymuseum.com. The site includes information related to people who lived and/or died in Hinsdale County, including baptism and school records, marriages, deaths and obituaries, and much more. The Society also offers additional assistance to genealogical researchers. Call them at 970-944-2050 or email info@lakecitymuseum.com.
Oral History Project Wanted: volunteers for the Historical Society’s oral history project. Help to record the stories and personal details of local residents before these great resources are gone. For more information, please call 970-944-2050.