Nevadaville, Colorado
History
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1870 | 973 | — | |
1880 | 1,084 | 11.4% | |
1890 | 933 | −13.9% | |
1900 | 823 | −11.8% | |
1910 | 367 | −55.4% | |
1920 | 51 | −86.1% | |
1930 | 2 | −96.1% | |
1940 | 25 | 1,150.0% | |
1950 | 6 | −76.0% |
Nevadaville started in 1859, soon after John H. Gregory found the first lode gold in what is now Colorado. At the time, the townsite was in western Kansas Territory. The town grew to house the miners working the Burroughs lode and the Kansas lode. The population was predominantly Irish.
The town was one of the most important mining settlements in the area. A Masonic lodge was organized in 1859 from the Kansas Grand Lodge, becoming Nevada Number 36. After only one regular meeting, the lodge relinquished their charter and came under the jurisdiction of the new Grand Lodge of Colorado who had taken over the territory. The new charter was granted and the lodge became Nevada Lodge Number 4. The lodge still holds meetings as the only Ghost town lodge in Colorado.
In 1861 a large fire destroyed 50+ buildings, (including naturalist and taxidermist Martha Maxwell's boardinghouse). However, residents made effective use of TNT to save the remaining parts of the city from the fire. Nevadaville rebuilt after fire destroyed a large piece of the town. A more serious threat to the town was the fact that the near-surface oxidized portions of the veins were worked out in the early 1860s. The rudimentary ore mills had trouble recovering gold from the deeper sulfide ores. The continued prosperity of Nevadaville was assured by the construction of successful ore smelters in nearby Black Hawk. The Bald Mountain, Colorado, post office operated at Nevadaville from December 16, 1869, until October 15, 1921. The Post Office Department chose the name Bald Mountain to avoid confusion with other Nevadas and Nevadavilles.
Nevadaville prospered until about 1900, after which the population declined sharply.
Geography
Nevadaville is south of Central City at 39°47′45″N 105°32′04″W / 39.79583°N 105.53444°W, at an altitude of 9050 feet (2760 m) above mean sea level.
See also
- Bibliography of Colorado
- Geography of Colorado
- History of Colorado
- Index of Colorado-related articles
- List of Colorado-related lists
- Outline of Colorado
References
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Nevadaville, Colorado
- ^ Robert L. Brown (1985) The Great Pikes Peak Gold Rush, Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton, p.38.
- ^ "Nevada Lodge # 4 A.F. & A.M. :: Website". Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
- ^ Charles W. Henderson (1926) Mining in Colorado, US Geological Survey, Professional Paper 138, p.30.
- ^ Bauer, William H.; Ozment, James L.; Willard, John H. (1990). Colorado Post Offices 1859–1989. Golden, Colorado: Colorado Railroad Historical Foundation. ISBN 0-918654-42-4.
External links
- Rocky Mountain Profiles: Nevadaville Colorado Townsite - Ghost town
- Ghosttowns.com: Nevadaville
- Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Colorado: Nevada Lodge #4
- Western Mining History: Nevadaville, Colorado
- Full Resolution Ghost Town and Historic Photos by Coloradopast.com
- State of Colorado