Dictionary Thesaurus Word Dynamo Quotes Reference Translator Spanish

Central City, Colorado

Historic Central City is a Home Rule Municipality that is located in Gilpin County and Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. Central City (or the City of Central) is the county seat of Gilpin County. The city population was 515 at U.S. Census 2000. The city is a historic mining settlement founded in 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. Central City came to be known as the "Richest Square Mile on Earth". Central City and the adjacent City of Black Hawk form the federally designated Central City/Black Hawk National Historic District.

History

On 1859-05-06, during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush, John H. Gregory found a gold-bearing vein (the Gregory Lode) in Gregory Gulch between Black Hawk and Central City. Within two months many other veins were discovered, including the Bates, Gunnell, Kansas, and Burroughs. By 1860 the population of Central City was 598. At its peak in population in 1900, 3,114 people lived in Central City. Many Chinese lived in Central City during the early days working the placer deposits of Gregory Gulch. They were forbidden work in the underground mines. Most of them are believed to have returned to China after making their stake.

Gold mining in the Central City district decreased rapidly between 1900 to 1920, as the veins were exhausted. Mining revived in the early 1930s in response to the increase in the price of gold from $20 to $35 per ounce, but then virtually shut down during World War II when gold mining was declared nonessential to the war effort. The district was enlivened in the 1950s by efforts to locate uranium deposits, but these proved unsuccessful.

The population of Central City and its sister city Black Hawk fell to a few hundred by the 1950s. Casino gambling was introduced in both towns the early 1990s, but had more success in Black Hawk than in Central City. In 2004 Central City completed a four-lane, 8.4-mile parkway from Interstate 70 to Central City, allowing visitors to bypass Blackhawk

Geography

Central City is located at (39.802631, -105.516782).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²). None of the area is covered with water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 515 people, 261 households, and 101 families residing in the city. The population density was 273.0 people per square mile (105.2/km²). There were 394 housing units at an average density of 208.8/sq mi (80.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.84% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 1.55% Native American, 1.17% Asian, 1.17% Pacific Islander, 2.52% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. 9.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 261 households out of which 17.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.8% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 61.3% were non-families. 43.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.97 and the average family size was 2.76.

In the city the population was spread out with 16.5% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 115.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,921, and the median income for a family was $31,667. Males had a median income of $32,917 versus $25,446 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,465. About 7.4% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Points of Interest

Central City Opera House designed by noted Colorado architect Robert Saur Roeschlaub, continues to host entertainment during the summer.
Teller House, with the Face on the Barroom Floor.