Montezuma, Colorado

Montezuma is a town located in southeastern Summit County, Colorado. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 42. The town is a former mining camp that sits at an elevation of 10,200 ft, just west of the continental divide, nestled among mountains of the Front Range that reach 12,000-13,000 feet around it. It is situated in the upper valley of the Snake River above the resort town of Keystone in the Rockies west of Denver.

Description

The town, which is named for Montezuma, the Emperor of the Aztecs, consists largely of old buildings and houses lining the unpaved main street at the edge of the paved county road that ascends the gulch from Keystone near the west side of Loveland Pass. The road up from Keystone is lined with upscale second homes amid the trees in the river valley, right up to the entrance of town, which is marked by a sign over the county side from which a small aerial bomb has been suspened. Despite the encroachment of vacation homes, the town itself still consists largely of older somewhat dilapidated structures, some of the them dating from the late 19th century. The town is often included in lists of ghost towns in the Colorado Rockies, but it nevertheless retains a small population, somewhat augmented by lower-income residents who work or use the nearby ski areas. As of 2005, a small low-power FM station (KMZM 96.5), receivable only near the town, operates from one of the houses.

History

The town founded in 1865 following the discovery of silver in the vincinity of nearby Argentine Pass. It was populated by prospectors coming over the passes from nearby Georgetown. In 1890, at the height of the Colorado Silver Boom, the population reached nearly 1000. At the time, the town had two stores, a post office, two hotels (the Summit House and the Rocky Mountain House), and a sawmill. It eventually had a smelter, as well, which allowed local separation of the silver and lead ores, which are typically found together in the region. At the town's peak, the mountainside around the town was location of numerous mining operation at the Belle and Blance lodes, opeated by the St. John's Mining Company, after which the nearby ghost town of St. Johns is named. During the boom, the town experienced an influx of Mexican mine workers from Chihuahua.

The town experienced a steep decline after the Silver Bust in 1893. It experienced a slight revival in mining interest in 1940, but has remained fairly quiet since World War II. The town has experienced five major firest throughout its history, including ones in 1949 and 1958 which destroyed many of the historic structures, including the Summit House, which burned in the fire of Christmas 1958. Other fires in the 1970s and 1980s destroyed additional historic buildings and businesses, leaving the town with little current economic base.

Geography

Montezuma is located at Template:Coor dms¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²). 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 42 people, 20 households, and 6 families residing in the town. The population density is 202.7/km² (548.4/mi²). There are 35 housing units at an average density of 168.9/km² (457.0/mi²).

There are 20 households out of which 25.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.0% are married couples living together, 0.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 70.0% are non-families. 35.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 0.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.10 and the average family size is 3.33.

In the town the population is spread out with 19.0% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 50.0% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 0.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 133.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 161.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $38,750, and the median income for a family is $53,750. Males have a median income of $36,250 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income for the town is $31,924.

External links and references

• All about Montezuma, Colorado (http://www.summit-county-info.com/montezuma.shtml)
• Jeep Trails to Colorado Ghost Towns, Robert L. Smith