The Town of Montezuma is a statutory town located in eastern Summit County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 74 at 2020 United States census.
thumb|upright|Between Keystone and Montezuma
In 1890, at the height of the Colorado Silver Boom, the population reached nearly 10,000. At the time, the town had two stores, a post office, two hotels (the Summit House and the Rocky Mountain House), and a sawmill. It eventually had a smelter, as well, which allowed local separation of the silver and lead ores, which are typically found together in the region. At the town's peak, the mountainside around the town was location of numerous mines on the Belle and Blance lodes, operated by the Sts. John Mining Company, after which the nearby ghost town of Saints John is named. Saints John now consists of three cabins near timberline, at 10,764 feet.[https://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=115:3:13354163349438948290::NO::P3_FID:182364]
The town experienced a steep decline after the Silver Bust in 1893. It experienced a slight revival in mining interest in 1940, but has remained fairly quiet since World War II. The town has experienced five major fires throughout its history, including ones in 1949 and 1958 which destroyed many of the historic structures, including the Summit House, which burned in the fire of Christmas 1958. Other fires in the 1970s and 1980s destroyed additional historic buildings and businesses, leaving the town with little current economic base. Presently, the town is experiencing a high surge of interest as the value of real estate in proximity to ski areas and with access to wilderness increases substantially.
Geography
At elevation, the town is among the few (perhaps just four) incorporated towns or cities in the United States at elevation higher than .
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land.
Climate
Montezuma has a subarctic climate (Dfc) with short, mild summers and long, cold winters.
Demographics
thumb|View of one of the mountains that encircle the town.
As of the census of 2000, there were 42 people, 20 households, and 6 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 35 housing units at an average density of . The racial make up of the city was 100% White. 2.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 20 households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.0% were married couples living together, and 70.0% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 3.33.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.0% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 50.0% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64. The median age was 36 years.
The median income for a household in the town was $38,750, and the median income for a family was $53,750. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $31,924.
See also
- List of ghost towns in Colorado
References
Further reading
- Jeep Trails to Colorado Ghost Towns, Robert L. Brown