Summit Historical Society

10/16/2026

Lincoln City: Gold, Guns & the “Ten Years War”

Long before Breckenridge became a bustling mountain town, gold fever was running wild in French Gulch. By the summer of 1860, more than 1,000 men were working mining claims in the area that became Lincoln City.
Originally called Paige City, the town got a post office in June 1860 and was renamed Lincoln City in 1861 in honor of Abraham Lincoln.
But gold brought more than prosperity—it brought conflict. Harry Farncomb discovered rich deposits of coveted “wire gold” above town, and rival prospectors challenged his claim. What followed was a 10-year battle of lawsuits, rival claims, and even open gunfights!
The feud finally ended when a third party purchased the disputed claims. By 1884, only about 25 residents remained, the post office closed, and Lincoln City faded into history.

Read more at: summithistorical.org/colorado-150/october/

Research compiled by Summit Historical Society Colorado 150 Committee.

Photo: Lincoln City, ca. 1925. Courtesy Summit Historical Society Collection

10/16/2026

50+50+50=150 Colorado150 is our contribution in this special year. Summit County history is free and available online 24/7 thanks to support from Summit Foundation - thank you

10/15/2026

Kokomo: Life at 10,695 Feet!

Talk about living high on the mountain! At 10,695 feet, Kokomo was one of Summit County’s highest and busiest mining towns. Named for Kokomo Gulch,and ultimately Kokomo, Indiana, the town boomed as miners and families arrived to work the rich gold and silver deposits.
Kokomo was closely connected to neighboring Recen and Robinson, but two devastating fires in 1879 and 1881 helped lead to a merger with Recen.
At its peak, Kokomo had a Masonic Lodge, post office, one-room schoolhouse, and the major Kimberly Mine and Mill. The post office operated for an impressive 86 years, from 1879 to 1965!
By the 1960s, Kokomo was deserted, and Climax Molybdenum purchased the land to expand its mining operations.

Read more at: summithistorical.org/colorado-150/october/

Research compiled by Summit Historical Society Colorado 150 Committee.

Photo Town of Kokomo, early 20th century,. Courtesy Summit Historical Society Collection

10/14/2026

Chihuahua: A Ghost Town Hiding in Plain Sight!

Established in 1880 near Peru Creek, Chihuahua grew quickly with 50–60 cabins, a boarding house, and a silver mill.
Then came the bad luck: a devastating fire in 1889 destroyed much of the town, followed by the Silver Crash of 1893, which finished off the struggling community.

Today, you can camp or hike through the area without realizing you’re walking through history! Look closely and you may spot cabin foundations, a root cellar, outhouse remains, a livery stable, hotel foundations, bridge footings, and the old silver mill.

Read more at: summithistorical.org/colorado-150/october/

Research compiled by Summit Historical Society Colorado 150 Committee.

Photo: ca.1880, Jonas Teal, Mining and Civil Engineer, as printed included in Chihuahua Prospectus by Mary Ellen Gilliland, October 2002.

10/12/2026

We honor our Native Americans and their history. Please read about Chipeta in our 50+50+50=Colorado150 inline presentation.

Each March, during Women’s History Month, we honor Summit County’s Women of Distinction. Every year, the Summit Historical Society honors two women, Then, historical pioneers, and Now, current leaders. We are fulfilling our vision by honoring the pioneer women of the past and women leaders of th...

10/10/2026

Tiger: A Town That Roared and Then Disappeared

Historian Tom Noel once observed that a town’s fate could hinge on something as simple as the opening or closing of a post office. Tiger, Colorado, is a perfect example.
Founded by John A. Traylor and the Royal Tiger Mines Company, Tiger was built with families in mind. By 1925, 250 residents called it home, with a mercantile, machine shop, warehouses, and concentration mill.

Then came the hard times. The Great Depression, the halt of gold mining during WWII, and the company’s bankruptcy brought Tiger to its knees. Its post office closed, and the town was deserted.
But Tiger had one last chapter: “hippies” moved into the abandoned buildings during the 1950s and ’60s! In 1972, the land became U.S. Forest Service property, and the remaining buildings were eventually burned, except for the historic assay office, which was moved to Breckenridge.

Read more at: summithistorical.org/colorado-150/october/

Research compiled by Summit Historical Society Colorado 150 Committee.

Photo ca. 1918, Martin residence in Tiger. This was the first building in Tiger. Courtesy Summit Historical Society Collection

10/09/2026

Preston: A Gold Rush Ghost Town

Born from the 1860 gold rush, Preston grew into a bustling settlement along Gold Run Creek. John Shock is often credited with founding the town in 1875, alongside his brother Adam, Leon Peabody, and investors. At its peak in the 1880s, Preston had about 150 residents, a sawmill, boarding houses, dairy, and even a dress shop!
The boom was short-lived. By 1890, only 10 residents remained, and Preston eventually became a ghost town.

Thankfully, in 2023, restoration began on two remaining cabins. Thank you to Bill Fountain, Larry Crispell, Robin Theobald, Larissa O’Neil, Ghost Town Club of Colorado, Breckenridge History, contractors, and donors for helping preserve these historic cabins for generations to enjoy!

Read more at: summithistorical.org/colorado-150/october/

Research compiled by Summit Historical Society Colorado 150 Committee.

Photo - ca.1960, remaining buildings from 1890s, Private Collection
1875-1888

10/08/2026

See you there. 4:30 today

10/08/2026

Saints John: A Silver Mining Town

In 1863, John Coley discovered Colorado’s first silver near Glacier Mountain, smelting ingots and giving rise to the town of Coleyville, renamed Saints John in 1867 by prospectors who were Freemasons.
By the early 1880s, Saints John had a post office, two hotels, a large boarding house, and no saloons! Instead, the town had a library, reflecting its emphasis on literacy over liquor.
Backed by East Coast investors, the Boston Silver Mining Association helped transform Saints John from a prospectors’ camp into an organized mining operation. But the Silver Crash of 1893 devastated the community, and the town was finally abandoned in 1928.

Read more at: summithistorical.org/colorado-150/october/

Research compiled by Summit Historical Society Colorado 150 Committee.

Photo 1898. Courtesy Verna Sharp Collection, Summit Historical Society Collection

10/08/2026

Thank you, Jean, for a great look at Emma Benson Baliff who came to Summit County from Sweden and lived briefly in Recen - one of our ghost towns. Your research in the primary documents is a role model.