The Great American Survey: A Slapdash Database of Historic Buildings

Founding:  1861 Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  William Gilpin, Colorado territorial governor Seat:  Central City (1861–) Land area:  150 square miles Population (2020):  5,808 Population (historic):  5,490 (1870); 5,867 (1890); 4,131 (1910); 1,212 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1870–1880; 1890s; 1930s; 1960–2020 Subdivisions:  Two cities; one CDP Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  507 (13.3%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  57% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  6.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  8.4% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $384 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $262 Average farmhouse size (1940):  3.7 rooms Number of farms (1920):  41 Average farm size (1920):  68.3 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Central City Namesake:  Uncertain—perhaps a reference to the city's location within Colorado F...

Founding:  1877 Parent county:  Lake Namesake:  John Gunnison, U.S. army officer and explorer Seat:  Gunnison (1877–) Land area:  3,239 square miles Population (2020):  16,918 Population (historic):  8,235 (1880); 5,331 (1900); 5,527 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1880; 1890–1910; 1930s; 1960–1980; 1990–2020 Subdivisions:  One city; four towns Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,107 (9.3%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  39.2% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  10.3% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  15.7% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,056 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,167 Average farmhouse size (1940):  3.3 rooms Number of farms (1920):  376 Average farm size (1920):  131.3 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Gunnison Namesake:  John Gunnison, U.S. army officer and explorer Founding:  1876 (platting); 1876 ...

Founding:  1877 Parent county:  San Juan Namesake:  Ouray, Ute chief Seat:  Ouray (1877–) Land area:  542 square miles Population (2020):  4,874 Population (historic):  2,669 (1880); 4,731 (1900); 1,784 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1880–1890; 1930s; 1970–2020 Subdivisions:  One city; one town; three CDPs Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  326 (10.2%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  61.9% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  26.1% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  17% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $986 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $766 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.8 rooms Number of farms (1920):  180 Average farm size (1920):  95 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Ouray Namesake:  Ouray, Ute chief Founding:  1875 (platting); 1875 (post office); 1884 (incorporation) Population (2020):  898 Population (his...

Founding:  1883 Parent county:  Ouray Namesake:  The San Miguel River Seat:  Telluride (1883–) Land area:  1,287 square miles Population (2020):  8,072 Population (historic):  2,909 (1890); 4,700 (1910); 2,184 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1890–1900; 1910s; 1930s; 1970–2020 Subdivisions:  Five towns Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  391 (5.7%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  45.7% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  16.5% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  28.5% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $659 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $608 Average farmhouse size (1940):  3.7 rooms Number of farms (1920):  334 Average farm size (1920):  63.9 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Telluride Namesake:  Uncertain—perhaps a reference to the element tellurium Founding:  1878 (platting as Columbia ); 1880 (post office); 1887 (incorpo...

  Founding:  1879 Parent county:  Lake Namesake:  Jerome Chaffee, Colorado senator Seat:  Granite (1879–1880); Buena Vista (1880–1928); Salida (1928–) Land area:  1,013 square miles Population (2020):  19,476 Population (historic):  6,512 (1880); 7,085 (1900); 8,126 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1880; 1890–1910; 1950–1980; 1990s; 2010s Subdivisions:  One city; two towns; four CDPs Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,710 (15.7%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  60.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  14.3% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  7.3% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,671 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,194 Average farmhouse size (1940):  3.8 rooms Number of farms (1920):  326 Average farm size (1920):  79.5 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Buena Vista  (ex-seat) Namesake:  The Spanish term ...

  Founding:  1883 Parent county:  Summit Namesake:  James Garfield, U.S. president Seat:   Carbonate (1883); Glenwood Springs (1883–) Land area:  2,948 square miles Population (2020):  61,685 Population (historic):  4,478 (1890); 10,144 (1910); 9,975 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1890–1910; 1940s; 1960–2010 Subdivisions:  Two cities; four towns; six CDPs Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,717 (7.2%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  49.6% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  17.7% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  11.2% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,125 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $737 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.3 rooms Number of farms (1920):  930 Average farm size (1920):  79.8 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Glenwood Springs Namesake:  Mineral springs near the city site Founding:  1883 (platt...

  Founding:  1881 Parent county:  Gunnison Namesake:  Frederick Pitkin, Colorado governor Seat:  Aspen (1881–) Land area:  971 square miles Population (2020):  17,358 Population (historic):  8,929 (1890); 4,566 (1910); 1,770 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1890; 1950–2010 Subdivisions:  One city; two towns; three CDPs Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  591 (4.3%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  71.3% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  8.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  16.6% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $824 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $897 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.7 rooms Number of farms (1920):  179 Average farm size (1920):  91.3 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Aspen Namesake:  Aspen forests near the city site Founding:  1879 (platting); 1880 (post office); 1881 (incorporation) Population...

Founding:  1889 Parent counties:  Bent and Elbert Namesake:  The Cheyenne people Seat:  Cheyenne Wells (1889–) Land area:  1,778 square miles Population (2020):  1,748 Population (historic):  534 (1890); 3,687 (1910); 3,723 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1890; 1900s; 1940s; 1980s Subdivisions:  Two towns Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  272 (29.2%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  27.8% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  14.5% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  5.9% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $653 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $716 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  674 Average farm size (1920):  115 acres Sources of settlement:  Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, and Colorado _________________________________________________________________________________ Cheyenne Wells Namesake:  Water wells near the town s...

Founding:  1881 Parent county:  Ouray Namesake:  The Dolores River Seat:  Rico (1881–1946); Dove Creek (1946–) Land area:  1,067 square miles Population (2020):  2,326 Population (historic):  1,498 (1890); 642 (1910); 1,412 (1930) Periods of population growth:  1880s; 1910–1940; 1950s; 1990–2010 Subdivisions:  Two towns Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  144 (9.6%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  22.7% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  16.9% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  26.7% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $246 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $236 Average farmhouse size (1940):  2.9 rooms Number of farms (1920):  186 Average farm size (1920):  39.1 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Rico  (ex-seat) Namesake:  The Spanish word rico  ("rich") Founding:  1879 (platting); 1879 (post...

Founding:  1889 Parent county:  Bent Namesake:  The Kiowa people Seat:  Sheridan Lake (1889–1902); Eads (1902–) Land area:  1,768 square miles Population (2020):  1,446 Population (historic):  1,243 (1890); 2,899 (1910); 3,786 (1930) Periods of population growth:  1880s; 1900–1920 Subdivisions:  Three towns; two CDPs Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  140 (17.8%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  20% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  15.2% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  17.7% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $665 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $618 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  668 Average farm size (1920):  92.5 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Eads Namesake:  James Eads, civil engineer Founding:  1887 (platting); 1887 (post office); 1916 (incorporation)...

Founding:  1861 Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  The Twin Lakes Seat:   Oro City (1861–1863); Lourette (1863–1866); Dayton (1866–1868); Granite (1868–1879); Leadville (1879–) Land area:  384 square miles Population (2020):  7,436 Population (historic):  522 (1870); 14,603 (1890); 10,600 (1910); 4,899 (1930) Periods of population growth:  1870s; 1890s; 1930–1950; 1960s; 1990s; 2010s Subdivisions:  One city; two CDPs Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,491 (31%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  57% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  21.4% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  15% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $401 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $572 Average farmhouse size (1940):  3.7 rooms Number of farms (1920):  30 Average farm size (1920):  171.7 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Leadville ...

Founding:  1909 Parent county:  Larimer Namesake:  Andrew Jackson, U.S. president Seat:  Walden (1909–) Land area:  1,614 square miles Population (2020):  1,379 Population (historic):  1,013 (1910); 1,340 (1920); 1,386 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1910–1920; 1930s Subdivisions:  One town Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  316 (24%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  37.9% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  27.2% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  38.7% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,201 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,437 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.4 rooms Number of farms (1920):  182 Average farm size (1920):  513.6 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Walden Namesake:  Mark Walden, postmaster of a nearby settlement Founding:  1889 (platting); 1890 (incorporation) Populat...

Founding:  1874 Parent counties:  Conejos and Lake Namesake:  George Hinsdale, Colorado pioneer Seat:  Lake City (1874–) Land area:  1,117 square miles Population (2020):  788 Population (historic):  1,487 (1880); 1,609 (1900); 449 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1880; 1890s; 1970–2000 Subdivisions:  One town; two CDPs Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  129 (8.8%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  22.3% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  6.3% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  2.5% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $900 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $889 Average farmhouse size (1940):  3.5 rooms Number of farms (1920):  40 Average farm size (1920):  93.6 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Lake City Namesake:  Unclear—perhaps Pete's Lake, which lies at the town's northern edge Founding:  1...

Founding:  1893 Parent counties:  Hinsdale, Rio Grande, and Saguache Namesake:  The region's mineral deposits Seat:  Creede (1893–) Land area:  876 square miles Population (2020):  865 Population (historic):  1,913 (1900); 1,239 (1910); 779 (1920); 640 (1930) Periods of population growth:  1890s; 1930s; 1960s; 1990s Subdivisions:  One town Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  199 (15%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  34.9% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  12.4% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  19.7% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $760 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,802 Average farmhouse size (1940):  2.6 rooms Number of farms (1920):  34 Average farm size (1920):  160.5 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Creede Namesake:  Nicholas Creede, Colorado prospector Founding:  1891 (post office); ...

Founding:  1876 Parent counties:  Hinsdale and La Plata Namesake:  The San Juan Mountains Seat:  Silverton (1876–) Land area:  387 square miles Population (2020):  705 Population (historic):  1,087 (1880); 2,342 (1900); 1,935 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1880–1910; 1920s; 2000s Subdivisions:  One town Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  273 (36.7%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  58.9% Housing in disrepair (1950): 11.3% _________________________________________________________________________________ Silverton Namesake:  The region's silver deposits Founding:  1874 (platting); 1874 (incorporation); 1875 (post office) Population (2020):  622 Population (historic):  1,360 (1900); 2,153 (1910); 1,150 (1920) Periods of population growth:  pre-1900–1910; 1920s; 1940s; 2000s Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  259 (50.8%) _________________________________________...