July 2, 2009 - Black Hawk Creates Historic Preservation Video for City Website...read more

With the debut of expanded stakes gaming in Colorado’s gaming communities, the City of Black Hawk is reinforcing its approach to historic preservation and restoration with a new video on the city’s official website.

Narrated by famed cowboy poet Baxter Black, the video recounts Black Hawk’s history as a mining community of the mid - late 1800s, the decline of businesses and housing stock through 1990, and the resurgence of Black Hawk as a historical site and tourist destination with the onset of limited stakes gaming and Black Hawk’s second gold rush in 1991.

The video relates some of the challenges faced in preserving elements of Black Hawk’s history, such as the “Cornish walls” of mortared rock that support roadways and hold back steep slopes, and the extraordinary efforts to renovate and preserve the 64 historic residences still standing in the town of 110 residents.

“Baxter Black’s distinctive narrative style captures the spirit of Black Hawk’s illustrious history, and the video brings to focus the monumental accomplishments of the Black Hawk’s preservation and restoration program by “Preserving the Past, Preparing for the Future, Still Making History,” said Black Hawk city manager Mike Copp. The manager pointed out that the City has a stringent process that assures that the buildings being preserved maintain the character of their years.

Copp said the gaming proceeds provided the fund to launch Black Hawk’s historic preservation and restoration program, and also allows Black Hawk to have a well-staffed police department, fire and emergency medical services, and the infrastructure to handle 50,000 visitors daily.

The video is available for public viewing on the City’s website, cityofblackhawk.org. It was produced by the city’s public relations firm, Webb PR.