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The first silver strike in Creede was made by Nicholas Creede and George Smith. On making the strike, Creede shouted, "Holy Moses!, I've found it." From there after it was known as the "Holy Moses" mine. They sold their claim later that year to David Moffat, President of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad...after that, the rush was on to Creede!.
It was later followed by the Ethel, Amethyst, Champion and the Last Chance mines. Men were making fortunes overnight and saying "Don't jostle that fellow, He may be a millionaire tomorrow".
Outlaws and other riff-raff gravitated to this wild town, some of them whose names are long remembered. Bob Ford, the man who killed Jesse James owned the Exchange saloon was shot down by Ed O'Kelly...as a result of a quarrel over a gambling debt. Jesse's brother, Frank is reported to have lived in Creede for awhile.
Bat Masterson was bar keeper of the Watrous Saloon for awhile, and tried to keep some semblance of law and order in this out of control town. Soapy Smith, a bunco artist and the "town boss" managed Creede in 1892. He hired gunman John Light from Texas as Creede's Chief of Police.
Cigar smoking Poker Alice, Calamity Jane and Killarney Kate, all spent time in the gambling halls of Creede...along with other women who were attracted to this wide-open town for the gambling and prostitution opportunities.
In 1892 the Denver and Rio Grande railroad came to town out of Wagon Wheel Gap to the south. "The train, when it comes into sight, is a sight to behold. Men sit on each other and on the arms of seats, stand in the aisles, and hang on the platforms.", one observer wrote.
A big tent was erected beside the tracks and served as the depot, and the ticket booth was housed in a box car until a proper building could be built. Whiskey, billiard tables and bar fixtures overflowed the freight trains into Creede.
Within a year after the rush to Creede, $6 million in silver was taken from the mines. Claims were made by laying a foundation of 4 boards nailed together on stumps to indicate a start of a building. Many claims were "jumped" even then, as the prospectors went into town to file their claims.
Dozens of hotels opened to accommodate the many people flowing into Creede at this time. One hotel called "The Palace" was no more than a 16 square foot shanty, with a blanket for a door charging a $1 a night.
Creede newspaper, the "Candle" said, "Creede is unfortunate in getting more of the flotsam of the state than usually falls to the lot of mining camps...some of her citizens would take sweepstake prizes at a hog show."
A fire in 1892 destroyed the town, with the Denver Republican reporting..."Following the fire, a wild debauch was entered into by all the sots and fast women of the camp. Free liquor was had for the stealing, and many cases of wine, bottles of whiskey, cigars, and such goods were seized and hundreds were drunk before the flames half burned down." Fires were to plague this town in the future, along with flooding of the streets during heavy rainstorms.
In 1892, with the passing of the Silver Act, silver prices dropped from $1.29 to 50 cents an ounce and the rush for silver was over...although Creede's silver was of such high grade that some of the larger mines continued to produce into the 1970's.
Creede is best known today as a tourist meca and for its summer Repertory Theatre that opened in 1966.
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