Why Central City and Black Hawk are a National Historic Landmark district

Central City and Black Hawk are not just old mining towns. Together with the ghost town of Nevadaville, they make up a National Historic Landmark district — the highest level of federal historic recognition, above an ordinary National Register listing.

The designation dates to 1961, and it began with Central City. Over the years the district was expanded and renamed, taking in more of Black Hawk, Nevadaville, and the historic cemetery area above Central City. Federal reviewers valued the area as an unusually well-preserved example of an early Rocky Mountain mining community, one that grew from the 1859 gold strikes through the boom decades.

This history is not only sentimental. It shapes daily rules — though those rules come from the towns themselves, layered on top of the federal landmark. The landmark designation honors the district; Central City and Black Hawk each run their own local historic-preservation review. If you own or buy property here, expect that changes to building exteriors, signs, and new construction may need preservation approval, not just a routine permit.

For the federal designation and the district’s history, see the National Park Service’s National Historic Landmarks program and History Colorado. For what local review means for a specific property, ask Central City or Black Hawk directly.