Matchless Mine

The Matchless Mine tells the most famous tragedy in Colorado history. Here, Horace Tabor made millions in silver, lost it all in the crash of 1893, and his wife Baby Doe spent her final 36 years in poverty, guarding the mine in a ramshackle cabin. She froze to death in 1935, faithful to her husband's dying words: "Hold on to the Matchless."

Today, the mine operates as a museum, preserving both the mining history and the Tabor legend. The cabin where Baby Doe died, the mine structures, and artifacts from the boom era create a powerful window into Colorado's silver past.

The Tabor Story

The Rise

Horace Tabor arrived in Leadville in 1877, grubstaking miners in exchange for a share of their finds. When August Rische and George Hook struck silver on Fryer Hill, Tabor's third share made him rich overnight. He bought more mines, including the Matchless, which produced $1 million in silver annually.

Tabor became one of the wealthiest men in America. He built the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, the Tabor Block in Denver, and lived extravagantly. He divorced his first wife and married Elizabeth McCourt Doe—"Baby Doe"—in a scandalous ceremony attended by President Arthur.

The Fall

When the federal government stopped buying silver in 1893, the silver market collapsed. Tabor's fortune evaporated. He lost his mines, his buildings, and his money. He died in 1899, broken and poor, reportedly telling Baby Doe to "hold on to the Matchless" because it would make money again.

The Vigil

Baby Doe did hold on. For 36 years, she lived alone in a tiny cabin at the Matchless Mine, surviving on handouts and the hope that silver would return. She became a ghost of the boomtown era, seen in rags wandering the streets of Leadville.

In March 1935, neighbors found her frozen body on the cabin floor. She had died alone in the cold, faithful to Horace's dying request. Her story became the subject of an opera, "The Ballad of Baby Doe," and one of Colorado's most enduring legends.

Visiting the Mine

Tours: Guided tours take you through the mine structures, the hoist house, and Baby Doe's cabin. Guides share the history and legends.

The cabin: The tiny structure where Baby Doe spent her final years. Preserved much as she left it—a stark testament to her devotion and poverty.

Mining equipment: Original hoisting machinery, ore cars, and mining tools from the 1880s operations.

Duration: Tours run approximately 30-45 minutes.

Practical Information

Location: East 7th Street, about a mile from downtown Leadville. Signs direct you from Harrison Avenue.

Hours: Generally open daily in summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day), with limited hours in shoulder seasons. Call ahead to confirm.

Admission: Modest admission fee. Cash preferred. Children's rates available.

Accessibility: The site has uneven terrain and historic structures. Not fully accessible for wheelchairs.

Tips

Combine with other mining history. The Mining Hall of Fame and Tabor Opera House round out the story. Plan a full day of Leadville history.

Dress for the weather. The tour includes outdoor walking at 10,000 feet. Bring layers even in summer.

Read the story first. The tour is more powerful if you know the Tabor history. Several books cover it in detail.

Reflect on the cabin. Stand where Baby Doe spent 36 years, winters at 10,000 feet, alone with her memories. The poverty and devotion are overwhelming.