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"Eureka!" a miner is said to have exclaimed in September, 1864, when the discovery of rich ore was made here--and thus the town was named. Eureka soon developed the first important lead-silver deposits in the nation and during the furious boom of the 80's had 16 smelters, over 100 saloons, a population of 10,000 and a railroad, the colorful Eureka and Palisade that connected with the main line 90 miles to the north. Production began to fall off in 1883 and by 1891 the smelters closed, their sites marked by the huge slag dumps seen at both ends of Main Street.
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