Georgetown, Colorado

Georgetown is a town located in Clear Creek County, Colorado. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,088. It is the county seat of Clear Creek CountyTemplate:GR. The town sits at an elevation of 8,530 ft, nestled in the mountains near the upper end of the valey of Clear Creek in the mountains west of Denver along Interstate 70. Although a small town today, the town was a historic center of the mining industry in Colorado during the late 19th century and at one time was the third largest community in the state, earning the nickname the "Silver Queen of Colorado". It has evolved into a lively historical summer tourist center today with many preserved structures from the heyday of the Colorado Silver Boom. The town stretches roughly north-south along Clear Creek, hemmed in by the mountains, with the historic downtown located at the southern (upper) end and modern development located at the northern (lower) end of town.

History

The town was founded in 1859 during the Colorado Gold Rush by George and David Griffith, two prospectors from Kentucky. It was named "Georgetown" in honor of the older of the two brothers. Although founded during the gold rush, the town grew rapidly following the discovery of silver on September 14, 1864 by James Huff at a site approximately 8 miles up the canyon in the Argentine Pass area. In the following years, thousands of mines were dug in the mountains surrounding the town and the town quickly grew into a center for prospectors and mine workers in the surrounding mountains. Located in the valley floor, the town itself was not a mining camp but a center of commerce and entertainment for miners in the surrounding mountains.

The town was incorporated in 1868, the same year it wrested the county seat from nearby Idaho Springs, which today is a much larger community. The historic courthouse dates from this year. The building of the narrow gauge Colorado Central Railroad up the canyon from Golden in the 1870s further increased the central position of the town. Although most of the railroad was later removed, a portion remained between the town and Silver Plume and is operated today as a tourist railroad called the Georgetown Loop. The town experienced its greatest growth and prosperity during the silver boom of the 1880s when it rivaled Leadville to the west as the mining capital of Colorado. At one time, before the collapse of the silver boom in 1893, the town population exceded 10,000 and a movement arose briefly among local citizens to move the state capital there from Denver.

Following the collapse of the Silver Boom, the town population dwindled. In the 1950s the town began to experience a small renaissance as an apres ski watering hole for the thousands of skiers who passed through the town on their way down from the mountains at the ski areas near Loveland Pass and Guanella Pass. Small craft shops began to set up businesses in the once decrepit 19th century storefronts. By the late 1960s, the establishment of a a museum in one of the historic hotels had made the town a popular summer tourist destination where visitors could relive the experience of walking among structures from the mining boom.

The historic downtown was used as the location for the filming of a scene from the 1978 movie Every Which Way But Loose starring Clint Eastwood. The scene features the climactic showdown between Philo Bedoe (Eastwood's character) and the Black Widows motorcycle gang.

Geography

Georgetown is located at 39°42'45" North, 105°41'45" West (39.712381, -105.695845)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.7 km² (1.0 mi²). 2.5 km² (0.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 7.77% water.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 1,088 people, 503 households, and 278 families residing in the town. The population density is 442.2/km² (1,146.2/mi²). There are 670 housing units at an average density of 272.3/km² (705.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 95.96% White, 0.18% African American, 0.74% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 1.10% from other races, and 1.56% from two or more races. 4.41% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 503 households out of which 24.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% are married couples living together, 8.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% are non-families. 34.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 5.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.08 and the average family size is 2.67.

In the town the population is spread out with 19.0% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 109.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 112.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $42,969, and the median income for a family is $53,333. Males have a median income of $35,952 versus $28,068 for females. The per capita income for the town is $25,180. 6.2% of the population and 3.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 7.1% of those under the age of 18 and 7.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

References

• Historic Georgetown: Centennial Gazette 1868–1968 (locally available publication)

External links

• Town of Georgetown (http://www.town.georgetown.co.us/) (official website)

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