Dayton, Colorado

Not to be confused with the former community of the same name in Boulder County, Colorado.

Dayton is an extinct town in Lake County, Colorado, located on the site of what is now Twin Lakes. Like the larger nearby towns of Granite and Oro City, Dayton formed rapidly during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush and failed quickly when the local mining industry collapsed.[1] The Dayton post office operated from October 16, 1866, until November 30, 1868.[2] Dayton was made the Lake County seat from 1868 to 1868. At its peak,[3][4] it had hotels, a general store, a courthouse, and a post office and served as the county seat.[5] Dayton's courthouse was taken down and moved to Granite by early 1869.[5] In the decade after Dayton's demise, the area became a vacation destination appreciated for its scenery, hunting, and fishing.[5]

Prior to European exploration and colonization, the land was inhabited by the Ute people.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Cary, Hannah (February 2, 2022). "The Ute were the first to inhabit Dayton". Leadville Herald Democrat. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  2. ^ Bauer, William H.; Ozment, James L.; Willard, John H. (1990). Colorado Post Offices 1859–1989. Golden, Colorado: Colorado Railroad Historical Foundation. ISBN 0-918654-42-4.
  3. ^ Voynick, Steve (August 1, 2003). "124 years of tradition at the Twin Lakes General Store". Colorado Central Magazine.
  4. ^ Elliott, Donald R. (1999). Doris L. (Salmen) Elliott (ed.). "Place Names of Colorado" (PDF). Denver Public Library Archives, Western History and Genealogy. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  5. ^ a b c Cary, Hannah (February 3, 2021). "The good times in Dayton don't last". Leadville Herald Democrat. Retrieved 2023-05-08.


39°04′58″N 106°22′55″W / 39.0828°N 106.3820°W / 39.0828; -106.3820 (Dayton)