Gold Hill, Colorado, was founded in 1859 after gold was discovered in the area, sparking a mining boom that attracted numerous prospectors. The town flourished in the 1860s, but by the 1870s, gold production declined and a fire destroyed much of the town. Many miners left in search of new opportunities. By the early 1900s rebuilding had allowed Gold Hill to become a small, quiet community, shifting away from its mining roots and toward a more stable, farming-based economy. Image by Ed Tangen, 1910.