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History of
Twin Lakes & Interlaken |
Surrounding the lakes are two
historical areas, Twin Lake Village and Interlaken. Twin Lakes
Village is located two miles west of the lakes. Prospectors
first settled in this area in 1865, naming it Dayton. Then in
1879, a combination of events brought new life to the area.
Silver had been discovered in Leadville and Aspen, and the need
for a route between the two districts became urgent. Lake Creek
Valley (Twin Lakes Village) was the most logical route. At the
same time, the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad completed its
rails into Leadville, with stops at Granite and the Twin Lakes
Station, allowing visitors to discover the beauty of the Lake
Creek Valley.
By 1885 tourism was thriving. Interlaken, a famous resort on
the southern shore of the lower lake, was in full operation,
catering to the rich and famous and rivaled the famous Broadmoor.
James V. Dexter, a Denver-Leadville mining magnate, who had
purchased the original hotel on the lakeshore, along with 2,000
acres of prime real estate, it sported a 30-foot cutter yacht,
a 50-foot steamship, fountains, a dance pavilion and a two story
outhouse.
The area became a favorite boating, fishing and hunting area.
People came from all over to experience the beauty and splendor
of the Lake Creek Valley. Today, hikers and history buffs can
visit the historic Interlaken by following the Colorado Trail
along the south side of the lake, beginning at the dam. The
Interlaken is now maintained by the U.S. Forest Service as a
National Historic Site. |
| Twin Lakes was added to the
National Historic Register in the 1970s and continues to enchant
visitors with its original structures dating back to the 1870s.
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