Colorado's rich western history has been thoughtfully preserved in museums and local landmarks across the Centennial State. Visiting these places gives folks a sense of what life was like for some of the state's earliest settlers and pioneers and how things have evolved since then.

One of Colorado's most interesting historical museums can be found in Cripple Creek. The two-story brick building on Bennett Avenue served as the Teller County Jail for nearly 90 years but now operates as a museum, showcasing the outlaws and lawmen of that time, as well as the history of a once-booming mining town.

Kelsey Nistel, TSM/Canva
Kelsey Nistel, TSM/Canva
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From 1901 to 1991, the Teller County Jail housed men, women, and children who were awaiting trial at the nearby courthouse. Some of these juveniles were runaways too. The jail also served as a hold-over for felons and murderers en route to the prison in Wyoming and for mentally insane prisoners on their way to the State Hospital in Cañon City.

It closed as a jail because it lacked an exercise yard and other modern requirements set by the state. Nowadays, the museum provides a glimpse into how the inmates lived.

Kelsey Nistel, TSM/Canva
Kelsey Nistel, TSM/Canva
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Many areas of the jail have been left as they were during the 1900s. For example, illustrations and signatures left behind by former inmates can still be seen in several of the cells.

Kelsey Nistel, TSM/Canva
Kelsey Nistel, TSM/Canva
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In other cells, the museum replicated the living conditions that criminals experienced inside the Teller County Jail. In the beginning, there were four to six men in each cell. During the last years, it decreased to one person per cell.

The women and children were housed upstairs in rooms with wooden bunks. A single bedroom was provided to a female jailer who was responsible for taking care of the needs of the inmates on the second-floor jail block.

Historical artifacts and fascinating stories line the museum's outer walls. Some of these displays include vintage equipment, old police reports, mug shots, and profiles of pertinent people of the time. The notorious boxer, Jack Dempsey, even spent some time behind bars in the building. Other criminals who were incarcerated included prostitutes, western outlaws, and drunken townspeople.

Kelsey Nistel, TSM/Canva
Kelsey Nistel, TSM/Canva
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The spirits of former jailers and inmates are believed to still be lingering in the halls of this historic site. A plethora of paranormal stories have been documented by the museum's staff and visitors.

Multiple accounts from inside the Outlaws and Lawmen Jail Museum include hearing heavy breathing, seeing apparitions, and experiencing cold spots while walking throughout the vicinity. Employees also recounted an evening when a Bible and rosary were found in the basement  - no one knew how they got there. The host told a story about hearing what sounded like a stack of papers dropping one night while he was closing up, all alone. He looked around the entire building but never found where the sound had come from.

During my visit, I observed three marbles (two were exactly the same) placed at the end of the bed in the matron's ward. The matron's ward is next to the children's quarters on the second floor. I asked the host about them and he was just as shocked as me and went up to have a look for himself, explaining they aren't normally there.

Kelsey Nistel, TSM/Canva
Kelsey Nistel, TSM/Canva
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You can visit the Outlaws and Lawmen Jail Museum at 136 West Bennett Avenue in Cripple Creek. Admission is $5 and free for kids 6 and younger. The museum is open year-round and tickets can be purchased at the door. There is also a gift shop in the front lobby.

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Gallery Credit: Nate Wilde

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