Georgetown became a center for thousands of miners operating in the surrounding hills. Silver Plume was developed as one of a series of satellite camps, and in 1884 the Georgetown Loop Railroad was built, connecting the two by rail.
Georgetown emerged as a central location for thousands of miners working in the nearby mountains. The establishment of Silver Plume was part of a series of auxiliary camps, and the building of the Georgetown Loop Railroad in 1884 created a transportation link between the two settlements.