The square, the compass and the Constitution
Bob Sweeney’s July 2 column walks Main Street in Central City and the mountain-town lodges still open.
Bob Sweeney ·
Standing on Main Street in Central City is easy to be surrounded by history. Across the street sits the famed Teller House, once one of the grand hotels of the Rocky Mountains. Nearby stands the Central City Opera House, a symbol of culture that emerged from the rough-and-tumble days.
When gold was discovered in Gregory Gulch in 1859, thousands of fortune seekers poured in. Sweeney writes about the square, the compass, and the Constitution — Masons during the territorial era who helped guide the organization during its formative years. Historic lodges remain active in Central City, Georgetown and Nederland. Their buildings stand as reminders of a period when miners, merchants, lawyers and civic leaders gathered to support one another and strengthen their communities.
Print source: The Villager, Vol. 44 No. 32, July 2, 2026, page 4. Issuu edition. Readable sentences from the Issuu page image. Masthead-gutter fragments are omitted.