The Jewish History of Leadville

 

Unbeknownst to many, Leadville, Colorado, was once home to a thriving Jewish community, complete with temple, cemetery and well-known residents, including members of the May and Guggenheim families. There was even a kosher picnic in Leadville in July 1895!

 

Bill Korn, founder of Leadville’s Temple Israel Foundation, will present a talk about the Jews of Leadville at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 30 at Congregation Beth Evergreen, 2981 Bergen Peak Drive, Evergreen, and all are welcome to attend this free event.

Temple Israel, built in 1884, served a large and active Jewish community in Leadville until about 1912. No longer an active synagogue, the building now houses a permanent exhibition that documents pioneer Jewish life with a collection of artifacts. Leadville’s Hebrew Cemetery was established in 1880, but burials dwindled at the turn of the 20th century. The cemetery was re-consecrated in the 1990s, and Jewish burials began again in 2001.