Twin Lakes Historic District

Located next to Colorado's two largest glacial lakes, the Twin Lakes Village began as a stop en-route between the mining districts of Leadville and Aspen. In the late 1880s, however, mining magnate, James V. Dexter, built the nearby Interlaken Resort, a 100-acre complex featuring a dance pavilion, stables and servants' quarters. Soon after, the area became a haven for wealthy tourists who boated in the summer and skied in the winter. It remained popular until the 1950s, when enlargement of the lakes cut off access to the resort. Today, Twin Lakes Village as well as Interlaken Resort, have been carefully preserved for visitors. Interlaken was designated a National Historic Site in 1974 and is undergoing extensive restoration work. Twin Lakes Village, at the base of Mount Elbert (Colorado's highest 14,000 foot peak), has been preserved with many of its classic log cabins still standing.