Middle School
Worksheets
Breckenridge, Colorado, Part of Colorado's Playground
The town of Breckenridge, Colorado, celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2009. Breckenridge is located in north central Colorado in the Rocky Mountains. It was once a summer hunting grounds for the Native American Ute tribe. Starting in the 1840s, the fur trade brought mountain men, traders, and trappers to the area.
When gold was discovered at Pike's Peak in 1859, the area drew the interest of miners. A prospecting company founded "Breckinridge" in November of 1859. By 1861, a wagon road connected Breckenridge to Denver. That's when it began to grow, but once the gold became scarce, so did the miners. The town's population dwindled down to fifty-one.
In 1879, silver was discovered. Once again, the town's population grew. This time, the community organized a town government. It set up a plan to make the town more appealing. By July of 1880, Breckenridge's population was 1,657 people. In 1882, the railroad provided rail service through Breckenridge. The town began to grow again. Its progress lasted until the dredge mining stopped in 1942. By 1950, the town's population was back down to 296.
