Societies
Phone 303 866 2305
FAX 303 866 4204
Creede Historical Society
Creede Historical Museum & Library
Historic Rio Grande Railroad Depot
(behind Basham Park)
P.O. Box 608
Creede, CO 81130
The Creede Museum, run by the Creede Historical Society, is housed in the old Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Depot in downtown Creede next to Basham Park. Museum exhibits feature Creede's first hand drawn fire wagon, a horse drawn hearse, many early pioneer utensils, gambling devises, numerous historical photographs, early newspapers and other memorabilia of Creede's past. The Creede Museum had its beginnings in the 1940's in a shed. It was later moved to the Elk's building. When the museum got overcrowded, the D&RGW offered the depot building to Mineral County. The Creede Historical Society has preserved memorabilia that gives insight into the lives of the homesteaders, prospectors, miners and entrepreneurs who helped shape Creede and Mineral County.
Open Memorial Day to Labor Day seven days a week, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and through winter by appointment. For more information on the Creede Museum or Creede Historical Society write to P.O. Box 608, Creede, CO 81130 or all Curator Ed Hargraves, 719-658-2303.
The Creede Underground Mining Museum is one of Creede's most popular attractions. Hard rock miners, once employed by area mining companies, blasted tunnels for the museum out of the mountain north of Creede. Exhibits recreate the experience of working in an underground mine, complete with the dark, damp environment. Retired miners take visitors on guided tours through the tunnels, explaining equipment and methods of mining from the early days to the present.
A museum gift shop offers the chance to take home a part of Creede's history. At the same time the tunnels for the museum were dug out the miners built an underground community center with a well-equipped kitchen that can be used for meetings and community gatherings. Tours are available daily during the summer and Monday through Friday during the winter. The museum is located in Willow Creek Canyon just north of Creede. For more information call 719-658-0811