During Colorado’s Gold Rush mining towns were scattered across Park County, but by mid-twentieth century these ghost towns were rapidly disappearing, victims of vandalism, fire, and the natural elements.  Leon Snyder (1892-1973), a Colorado Springs lawyer, worked with local residents to preserve Park County’s mining heritage by creating an outdoor museum.  The goal was to create an authentic replica of a nineteenth century Colorado mining town, using historic buildings from Park County.  Although moving historic buildings is discouraged by today’s standards, the Museum represents earlier efforts to preserve these frontier-era resources.