In walking around Leadville, the imagination naturally runs wild — wild as the West that built this town.

It was gold and silver that built this Victorian hamlet. And at a glance, it seems locked in time, locked in the 1890s that saw these opulent hotels rise, along with the busy banks, mischievous brothels, rowdy saloons and dance halls, and the churches where men paid penance.

The winners and the wayward mingled here, the millionaires like Horace Tabor and the outlaws like “Doc” Holliday. Some say their ghosts remain, mingling still with a much different crowd.

Today’s crowd comes for sightseeing. Mount Elbert rises higher than any other Colorado summit here beyond North America’s highest incorporated city above 10,000 feet. Today’s residents and visitors are an outdoor bunch, drawn to surrounding fisheries and slopes where ski industry pioneers were made. During World War II, they came out of nearby Camp Hale, where 10th Mountain Division soldiers trained on snow and simultaneously developed a love for the sport. That, too, is a history you can learn along Leadville’s main street, Harrison Avenue. Many more surprises await:

Stop in

You wouldn’t guess people from all around Colorado come to Leadville for clothes. But that is the magic of Melanzana.

You’ve likely seen someone wearing the shop’s colorful, handmade hoodies. You can see Mellys being sewn and stitched in the store, but you’ll need an appointment to buy. Melanzana is fiercely independent, refusing to mass produce despite high demand.

Another one-of-a-kind product has been found in City on a Hill Coffee. Using wooden blocks, a local man for years has sculpted precise, topographic replicas of Colorado’s peaks and ranges. The mantelpieces have been sold in the coffee shop.

Also to be admired is Western Hardware Co. It’s a multistory antique mall in which one could spend a whole afternoon.

The Rock Hut is a staple, as well. Since 1974, the store has displayed and sold thousands of fossils and gems from around the world.

Food and drink

Silver Dollar Saloon is legendary. Holliday and Oscar Wilde were among patrons after the doors swung open in 1879. It appears nothing has changed since then — though, recently, the chicken wings have been perfected.

The pizza at High Mountain Pies also has garnered a reputation. “The Crocodile” is listed as “Leadville’s favorite,” blending barbecue sauce, shrimp, bacon, jalapeno and cream cheese.

In the summer, be on the lookout for Jane’s Hot Dog Stand. She’s been setting up along Harrison Avenue for more than 20 years and promises “you’ll relish the flavor!”

More American classics at Tennessee Pass Cafe and Treeline Kitchen. Hamburgers and ice cream at Wild Bill’s. Mexican at Casa Sanchez and Casa Blanca.

Two Mile Brewing Co. is the newest craft beer stop in town.

Entertainment

It’s only fitting that Leadville is home to the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum.

At a bend of the road up Harrison Avenue, it’s located in a 1899 school and boasts nearly 70 exhibits showcasing mining life that was. The Hall of Fame counts 257 members, including Tabor — “by far the most famous mining man in Colorado history,” the museum maintains.

The magnate’s mark is also felt at Tabor Opera House, standing in all of its glory along Harrison Avenue. Limited, guided tours are offered during the summer, educating visitors on how Tabor brought high-class art and culture to this remote, developing city.

Performances are set to return to the opera house this summer. Those will be among the season’s events sure to transform the avenue.

Others are Boom Days, the annual festival that features a foot race alongside burros; and the Leadville Trail 100, the ultra run minus the burros.