Breckenridge was established it 1860 and is nestled right in the heart of the spectacular Rocky Mountains. It's altitude is 9603 feet above sea level and offers one of states finest world class ski resorts. In January, 1860, during the big rush to settle the U.S. West, the town of Breckenridge, CO was established as a result of the discovery of Colorado's single largest golden nugget. Breckenridge became popular for many prospectors seeking instant wealth and fame in a mother load of solid gold. The early 1900s took their toll on Breckenridge and nearly reduced it to a ghost town status. The rough and tumble era of gold mining had come to an end. A few devoted and determined citizens continued to maintain the little town until December 13, 1961 when a Wichita, Kansas company opened the first ski runs on Peak 8. Who knew what they started? For only $4 per day, an venturesome ski enthusiast could brave the limited ski terrain to their hearts content. A new era was born which has shifted the town from obscurity to be one of the most popular ski resorts in the world offering world class sport, dining, lodging and just a fantastic year round time for all.

 

Today Breckenridge is known as the perfect Ski Resort Town in Colorado. People from all around the world come to vacation and enjoy all that this quaint, historic town has to offer all year round. In winter, vacationers and residents enjoy the four-mountain resort and the 2,043 acres of ski runs which practically bump into town, offering both families and expert skiers something to slide down. In summer, sport enthusiasts can try the Jack Nicklaus-designed public golf course or explore the 100 miles of paved biking trails leading to Keystone, Frisco, or Vail.

 

Breckenridge's market is booming due to its close proximity to the "big city" of Denver, and the new expansion of the Ski Resort. The Town's Arts and Cultural improvements materialized in The Riverwalk Center that is home to two orchestras. A two-month summer classical concert series known as the Music Festival is held annually. The Riverwalk Center is host to the Colorado winter International Snow Sculpture Championships and scores of other great activities throughout the year. The 254-building National Historic District is one of the largest in Colorado. The Summit Historical Society regularly shows off seven historic sites on their 12-block public walking tour of downtown Breckenridge. Two interesting spots include the 1875 Carter Museum and Barn, which is said to be the oldest museum in Colorado, and the abandoned Country Boy hard-rock mine, where visitors can pan for gold near the Blue River - the place where gold was first panned in Colorado in 1859.

If you can imagine no lake Dillon and three rivers coming together where a trading post and clusters of cabins might have existed, then you can imagine the first town of Dillon. This was the scene in the late 1800s until Denver needed water storage in the high country.

 

The Town of Dillon was incorporated on January 26, 1883, and it's physical location was moved three times in it's history. The first time was to be closer to the railroad, a second time was to be located between the three area rivers - the Blue, the Ten Mile, and the Snake rivers. The third move was necessary when in 1956 when the Denver Water Board told the town's people that they must sell their property amd be out of the town by 1961 to make way for a new water reservoir. This new lake would serve the Denver Colorado area resident's water needs and not the town itself. The final location for the town was selected on the shore of the new reservoir where the town continues to thrive today as a major Summit county community.

Dillon is a full service community with a year-round resident population of approximately 750. The town's spectacular location in the heart of Summit County provides a majestic scenic backdrop for an abundance of year round outdoor mountain activities. Its close proximity to the famous Summit County ski areas makes it a convenient spot for winter vacationers as well as summer adventurers. The lakeside mountain town has a variety of amenities. One can find eateries housed in buildings from the Old Town of Dillon, microbreweries, a bowling alley, batting cages, Gart Sports outlet, and Saturday night summer concert/theatre performances in the Lake Dillon amphitheater. A trip to the old school house, which is now the Summit Historical Society Museum, is worth the visit to learn more about the area.

 

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Nestled high in the Colorado Rocky Mountains is the town of Frisco, a town of contrast, claiming both the quiet charm of yesteryear and a bustle of activity inherent in mountain resort communities. Bordering the shores of Lake Dillon and encircled by the Arapahoe National Forest, Frisco is the geographic heart of Summit County. Its central location, western architecture, and quaint shops draw in visitors from around the country and around the world. And Frisco is the designated hub of the free Summit Stage transit service, making it the focal point for a great vacation 12 months a year.

 

Frisco's history began with the Ute Indians who first traveled the region now known as Summit County. The first white men to come through this area were known as "mountain men" who trapped in the high mountain lakes for the thick coat of the beaver. The mountain men trapped in this territory from 1810 to around the 1840's. The 1870's ushered in mining to the area. Founded in 1873 (officially chartered in 1879) by Henry Recen, the Town of Frisco quickly developed thanks in part to the locale's many mines. By 1882 the permanent population reached 250 with two railroads, many businesses, hotels and saloons, not to mention "loads of mines." The mining boomed lasted until 1918. Along with the rest of the country, Frisco was hit by the Depression; by 1930 Frisco's permanent population had dropped to only 18 people. Frisco was one of the few old mining towns to keep going. Many of the smaller, less accessible mining towns were deserted. Frisco persevered and by 1946 the population had increased to 50.

 

Frisco, with a current population just under 2,800 full-time residents, remained a sleepy town with a sprinkling of summer tourists until the ski industry - which now attracts some 3 million people a year to the area -- brought a new boom era to Summit County

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The Town of Silverthorne is located in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, approximately 70 miles west of Denver, at an elevation of 8,730 feet. It is situated along the Lower Blue River Valley below peaks of 12,000 and 13,000 feet and is surrounded on two sides by forest and Wilderness Area. The town is considered by many to be the gateway to Summit County and much of Western Colorado, due largely to its location as the first exit west of the Eisenhower Tunnel along I-70, at the intersection of Highway 9 and Highway 6. The new Denver International Airport is roughly 100 miles from Silverthorne (approximately a two-hour drive).

Having only been incorporated as a town since 1967, Silverthorne doesn't have quite the rich and storied pasts of some of the other towns in Summit County; however, credit for establishing the town site does go to one of the more colorful characters in the history of Summit County: Judge Marshel Silverthorn.

Known by most as "Judge" for his appointment as judge of the Miner's Court in Breckenridge, Silverthorn came to Breckenridge in 1859 just to regain his health. He ended up staying long enough to build and operate the Silverthorn Hotel and to provide many important services to the area. Silverthorn had a penchant for mining and its associated spoils. On January 18, 1881, he and some friends purchased 160 acres from the US Government in the area between the Blue River and the Blue River Parkway in present day Silverthorne. Having visions of striking it rich in the gold that was in the area, Judge Silverthorn had become sole owner of the property by April 15, 1882, when he applied for a Mining Patent for the Silverthorn Placer. Unfortunately, not much wealth, if any, was ever taken from the site. Upon Silverthorn's death in 1887, his daughters inherited the placer mine property. Locally, the "e" was added to the end of the name "Silverthorn" in the 1930's when it was considered fashionable to do so.

The land saw little activity in the ensuing years, other than changes in ownership by various mining companies. In 1953, Clayton Hill purchased it and several other placer mines, including the Willow Creek and Arctic Placer, for $18,500. Hill subdivided what is now the Buffalo, Silverthorn and Silverthorne Colorado Subdivisions on January 5, 1956. In 1957 Robert Z. Roush and Myrth Roush subdivided Ptarmigan Trail Estates to create a home for the construction workers building the Dillon Dam, which began in the late 1950's and was officially completed on December 17, 1963. When Silverthorne became an incorporated town on September 5, 1967, it consisted of approximately 400 acres and by 1970, boasted a population of 400. Silverthorne has now progressed to a full-service, well-balanced community of nearly 3,000 people, making it the largest municipality in Summit County.

The Town's location along the busy I-70 corridor is frequently the first introduction to Summit County and the resort areas contained within it. Because of this, the town experiences a high number of visitors year round and has developed many facilities to accommodate them. Silverthorne has also become home to an increasingly higher percentage of the County's residents, with nearly 80% of homes being occupied year-round as compared to an average of 36% occupied countywide.

Located near a number of world-class resorts, Silverthorne offers facilities such as a 62,000 sq. ft Silverthorne Recreation Center and the Silverthorne Factory Stores with 70 brand name stores. The new Riverwalk area built along the Blue River offers retail shops, picnic facilities and a performing arts center for concerts and community events. Silverthorne is the home of the Raven, a beautiful golf course community that has recently been redeveloped. The information offices of the Arapaho National Forest also reside in Silverthorne. The Blue River, a Gold Medal trout stream that meanders through the heart of the community, makes Silverthorne a popular fishing destination. The Blue River Bicycle/Walking Path runs along its shores and connects to the countywide bike path system. Beyond Town limits, the river provides a scenic stretch of whitewater excitement for kayakers, canoeists and rafters. In addition, outdoor activities in the Ptarmigan & Eagles Nest Wilderness areas make Silverthorne a popular hiking and backcountry destination. Silverthorne has firmly established itself as a year-round community attractive to the resident and visitor alike.

 

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