Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin

10/18/2026

In honor of 10th Mountain Division Day, enjoy a special after-hours open house with free admission to our exhibit Winter Warriors: The 10th Mountain Division in World War II, plus coffee and cookies!

November 06
3:00pm - 5:00pm
RSVP at: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8983044/RSVP-10th-Mountain-Division-Day-Open-House

Winter Warriors explores the history and legacy of the U.S. Army’s first and only winter warfare division. The exhibition first debuted at the History Colorado Center in Denver in 2023 and has been adapted as a travelling exhibition, with its tour beginning at the Healy House Museum.

Parking is available in front of the museum on East 10th Street; overflow parking will be available on West 10th Street across Harrison Avenue above Ice Palace Park.

10th Mountain Division Resource Center

10/15/2026

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Passed in the wake of the destruction of historic neighborhoods and communities during urban renewal and federal highway construction, the Act gave local voices, including local governments, state agencies, Tribes, and the public a seat at the table to shape how federal projects are implemented in the communities we know best.

Unfortunately, as we mark this milestone anniversary we also face unprecedented threats to this longstanding and collaborative process. With proposed changes to Section 106 of the NHPA introduced in the Senate in late September, as well as procedural changes proposed at the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation, Coloradans risk losing their seat at the table.

When those who know our communities best are kept out of the decision making, we risk loss of the places and communities that define Colorado, the material evidence of our nation’s history, and the cultural landscapes we hold sacred.
Many of our partners across the state and country are expressing their deep concerns, from the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Colorado Preservation, Inc. – whose message below offers action steps so you can stand up for Colorado’s historic places.

Learn more at our upcoming webinar about Section 106 of the NHPA on October 26, 2026 at 3:00 pm at: https://www.historycolorado.org/events-experiences =section-106-in-colorado-your-seat-at-the-table;instance=20261026150000?popup=1&lang=en-US

Stand with us Friday, October 30, at 7:30 a.m. at the Tall Bull Memorial Grounds in Daniels Park for a statewide advocacy photograph. 📸

This gathering is part of CPI’s No Seat at the Table campaign. Proposed changes to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act from the ACHP, along with U.S. Senate Bill 5653, could cut Coloradans out of federal decisions that affect our public lands, neighborhoods, and historic places. The Senate vote is scheduled for November 9.

The photograph will bring Coloradans together to demonstrate what is at stake when communities lose their voice in federal decisions affecting their lands, historic resources, and future. It will serve as the centerpiece of a statewide campaign encouraging public awareness and engagement.

How you can help:

📅 Arrive by 7:30 a.m. and wear attire that reflects your community. We expect to wrap up in an hour or less.
👥 Bring a friend. Our goal is 100 people.
📞 Call your U.S. Senators TODAY. Tell them to vote no on U.S. Senate Bill 5653. Colorado’s Senators are Michael Bennet (303-455-7600) and John Hickenlooper (303-244-1628)

RSVP and sign the waiver at this link: https://forms.gle/1ZkdjkUQ6jpa9i7E7

10/15/2026

🛍️ Stop by the Healy House Museum gift shop to find your next Halloween-read! Browse an assortment of intruiging and spooky books, as well as other thematic gifts including gothic bookmarks and more!

👻 If you're joining us for our Victorian Spirits presentation tomorrow, check out The Victorian Book of the Dead: A very well researched guide to Victorian mourning customs and the cultural obsession with death which began during this era and continues today; a top resource in the creation of HHDC's Victorian Spirits exhibit and presentation! (P.S. - This exhibit will be returning next October).

Or, get it the Halloween spirit with books such as:

🔮 Lost Between Heaven and Leadville: Specters, Spooks and Shades of the Departed in a Colorado Silver Camp - A collection of tales of the hauntings of Leadville/Twin Lakes/Lake County by local Roger Pretti.

☠️ A is for Arsenic: An ABC of Victorian Death - Explores the basics of Victorian mourning customs and features a collection of macabre stories and anecdotes, and each entry includes an illustration by award-winning artist Landis Blair.

🔪 The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Revelled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime - Delves into the history of the public's obsession with death during the 19th century and how it led to the proliferation of true crime and detective stories.

😈 The Devil in the White City - A gripping deep dive into the murderer who haunted the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, which was attended by millions -- including boarding house owner and operator Daniel Healy; a new offering from the HHDC shop.

10/11/2026

Please note that Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin will be closed October 12 - 13, 2026.

Thank you for your understanding!

09/30/2026

Visit Today and see 12 Tablecloths, created by award-winning artist and historian Chloé Duplessis! This is a transformative art installation exploring the history of emancipation, the Great Migration of African Americans into the American West, and the realities of domestic service for women of color.

For12 Tablecloths Leadville, Duplessis created a hand-stitched dress made of burlap and twine to honor Jessie Barton Randolph, and has surrounded it with historical objects and home furnishings of the era. This immersive exhibition fits perfectly into the historic space at the Healy House Museum.

Jessie Barton Randolph was the first child born in the mountain town to William and Louise Randolph. As the first child of any race born in Leadville, prominent white leaders and businessmen gifted Jessie a small tract of land, gold and silver bars, and a silver medallion – sowing into the financial future of the young child.

Years later, Jessie would make history once again as the first Black person to graduate from Leadville High School. She served as a domestic servant and laundress, and later as a nurse.

09/29/2026

In October 2026, more than 250 nonprofit professionals, grant makers, community leaders, distinguished speakers, and elected officials will unite in Leadville to exchange knowledge and expand professional networks at the Heart of Colorado Rural Philanthropy Days conference.

October 29-30, 2026 | Leadville, Colorado

The goal of RPD is to bring increased access to resources to support sustainable rural nonprofits, increase the engagement of funders in rural communities, and encourage effective collaboration on a regional scale. Join us there and learn how your rural nonprofit can be empowered.

Register and learn more: https://crcco.org/programs/rural-action-network/rural-philanthropy-days/heart-of-colorado/

09/26/2026

“We begin, as many books end, with a deathbed.” - Chris Woodyard, The Victorian Book of the Dead 🕯️⚰️

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, death was an ever-present part of daily life. From strict rules on wearing black to elaborate rituals surrounding deathbeds, wakes, and funerals, mourning customs deeply shaped how families confronted loss. For others, hope lay in Spiritualism and the search for signs that departed loved ones were still near 🪦

Join us at the Healy House Museum for Victorian Spirits, a fascinating presentation that explores:
📜 Victorian & Edwardian mourning customs and funerary traditions
🔮 Leadville’s underground Spiritualist movement
👻 Local ghost stories & documented encounters with the dead

Step back in time to discover how Cloud City once comforted the living and honored the departed. 🖤

📆 October 16 | 5:30pm - 6:30pm
📍 Healy House Museum | Leadville, CO
🎟️ Reserve your spot today at https://www.historycolorado.org/healy-house-museum-dexter-cabin =victorian-spirits;instance=20261016173000?popup=1&lang=en-US

**Not recommended for kids under 13. This presentation includes discussions of death, mourning, and funerary practices.**

09/16/2026

This stunning summit in Chaffee County is named for the cleft right through its highest point, giving it two nearly-identical triangular peaks. It’s part of the beautiful Sawatch Range, and is nestled among much more famous peaks like Mount Elbert and Mount Massive. It soars over the iconic Twin Lakes (named somewhat coincidentally, as there are two of them) on the road to Leadville. Like most of central Colorado, the area around Twin Peaks was long the territory of the Ute, before hopeful prospectors and miners came in on the heels of the Pikes Peak Gold Rush. In time, the area became a popular destination for tourists seeking Colorado’s famous vistas. Leadville businessman James V. Dexter built himself a comfortable cabin here and owned the nearby Inter-Laken Hotel.

Today, both structures still stand, and they—along with the many other historic sites and natural sights around Twin Peaks—draw many tourists each year to this charming high-country vale. (Though we might recommend that highschoolers named Laura Palmer travel with care.)
--
Twin Peaks (center, directly under the clouds) overlooking the upper of the two Twin Lakes, photographed by John Fielder in 2015. John Fielder’s Colorado Collection. History Colorado, 2023.1.7045

09/11/2026

Please note that Healy House Museum will not be hosting an 11:30 AM tour on Saturday, Sept. 12th, due to the opening of 12 Tablecloths Leadville.

Thank you for your understanding! We hope you join us for the Opening Event. RSVP at: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8963507/RSVP-for-12-Tablecloths-Leadville-Opening-Reception

09/09/2026

Come and join us for the Opening Celebration of 12 Tablecloths - Leadville at Healy House Museum!

September 12
12:00pm - 1:30pm
RSVP at: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8963507/RSVP-for-12-Tablecloths-Leadville-Opening-Reception

12 Tablecloths, created by award-winning artist and historian Chloé Duplessis, is a transformative art installation exploring the history of emancipation, the Great Migration of African Americans into the American West, and the realities of domestic service for women of color.

For each reimagining of 12 Tablecloths, Duplessis and her team examine local census data, search through archives, listen to oral histories from descendants, and collaborate with local museums. In Leadville, Duplessis discovered a rich history.

“When you think of Leadville, Black history is not typically something that comes to mind, but Black Americans have a beautiful legacy in Lake County,” Duplessis said.

Jessie Barton Randolph was the first child born in the mountain town to William and Louise Randolph. As the first child of any race born in Leadville, prominent white leaders and businessmen gifted Jessie a small tract of land, gold and silver bars, and a silver medallion – sowing into the financial future of the young child.

Years later, Jessie would make history once again as the first Black person to graduate from Leadville High School. She served as a domestic servant and laundress, and later as a nurse.

For12 Tablecloths Leadville,Duplessis created a hand-stitched dress made of burlap and twine to honor Jessie Barton Randolph, and has surrounded it with historical objects and home furnishings of the era. This immersive exhibition fits perfectly into the historic space at the Healy House Museum.