In December, 1890 a man named Bob Womack discovered gold in the area, but miners were slow to respond. By the summer of 1891 Womack struck a very rich vein and hurried to Colorado Springs to celebrate. In a drunken stupor the foolish man sold his mine for $500 cash. Word then spread and men began to stake claims all over a six square mile area surrounding what would soon be the Cripple Creek Gold Camp. Photo by Kathy Weiser-Alexander.