CANCELED: The Woods Empire: From Riches to Rags

In 1892 the area now known as Victor, Colorado was a fledgling gold prospector’s dream. Winfield Scott Stratton had barely claimed the Independence Mine the summer before and word was out that there was gold on the back side of Pikes Peak.

Warren, Harry, and Frank Woods made their way to Victor that year, founded the town, and began what was to be a large but short-lived enterprise. Their business interests, though long since sold to other ventures, still make up a large part of downtown Victor.

A walking tour on Saturday, May 16 will focus on the developments that the Woods brought to the small mining town on the south side of Battle Mountain.

The tour begins at the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum with a presentation at 9:30 a.m. Guide Gary Horton will lead the group through the main streets and highlight the Woods’ former business interests such as the Victor Hotel and Gold Coin Mine; the events includes a tour of the Gold Coin Club, built by the Woods as a recreation hall for the miners.