Carbonate, Colorado

The Town of Carbonate is a ghost town located in Garfield County, Colorado, United States.[1] In 2014, property owners voted to reactivate the town government despite having no year-round residents since 1890.[5] This ghost town is the smallest town in America—with a population of zero. How can that be? The historic mining site features only a handful of old cabins on a beautiful stretch of countryside in the mountains near Glenwood Springs and the White River National Forest.

Carbonate, Colorado
Statutory Town[1]
Town of Carbonate[1]
Carbonate
Location of the Town of Carbonate in the State of Colorado.
Coordinates: 39°44′35″N 107°20′48″W[2]
Country United States
State Colorado
CountyGarfield County
Founded1879
IncorporatedApril 13, 1883[3]
Government
[3]
 • TypeStatutory Town
Area
[4]
 • Total1.006 sq mi (2.605 km2)
 • Land0.992 sq mi (2.569 km2)
 • Water0.014 sq mi (0.036 km2)
Elevation
[2]
10,925 ft (3,330 m)
Population
 (2020)[4]
 • Total0
 • Metro
79,043
 • CSA
134,774
Time zoneUTC−07:00 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−06:00 (MDT)
GNIS feature[2]Carbonate

History

Carbonate was founded as a silver camp in 1879.[6] The Town of Carbonate incorporated on April 13, 1883.[3] The Carbonate post office opened and Carbonate became the original Garfield county seat later that year. But Carbonate's location high in the Flat Tops mountains made access difficult. After a few months, the Garfield county seat was moved to Glenwood Hot Springs. As the silver played out, miners departed. The Carbonate post office closed in 1886, and by the 1890 United States Census, no residents remained.

On November 4, 2014, Carbonate property owners voted 9 to 0 to reactivate the town's government in hopes of future development.[5] The town has summer visitors but no permanent residents, making it the only active incorporated municipality in Colorado with no permanent population.

Geography

Carbonate is located at 39°44′35″N 107°20′48″W (39.7430376,-107.3467219), at an elevation of 10,925 feet (3,330 m) in the Flat Tops mountains, 13.4 miles (21.5 km) north of Glenwood Springs.[2]

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 644 acres (2.605 km2) including 8.9 acres (0.036 km2) of water.[4]

Demographics

Carbonate has been continuously uninhabited since the 1890 United States Census.

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18900—
19000—
19100—
19200—
19300—
19400—
19500—
19600—
19700—
19800—
19900—
20000—
20100—
20200—
U.S. Decennial Census

See also

References
  1. "Active Colorado Municipalities". Colorado Department of Local Affairs. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  2. "U.S. Board on Geographic Names: Domestic Names". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  3. "Local Government Filings: Carbonate". Department of Local Affairs, State of Colorado. May 10, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  4. "Decennial Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data". United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce. August 12, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  5. Stroud, John (November 8, 2014). "Yes, that's a town — by 9-0 vote". Loveland Reporter-Herald. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  6. Jessen, Kenneth (November 29, 2012). "Access in snow cut Carbonate's time in the sun short". Glenwood Springs Post Independent. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.