Black Hawk, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Black Hawk, Colorado
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Restored historic buildings in downtown Black Hawk.
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| Nickname(s):
"The City of Mills"
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| Motto(s):
"Preserving the Past, Preparing for the Future, Still Making History"
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Location within Gilpin County, Colorado
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 Black Hawk, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| County | Gilpin County |
| Founded | 1859 |
| Incorporated | June 12, 1886 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Home rule municipality |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.871 km2 (2.653 sq mi) |
| • Land | 6.871 km2 (2.653 sq mi) |
| • Water | 0.000 km2 (0 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 2,456 m (8,058 ft) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 127 |
| • Density | 19/km2 (48/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
80403, 80422 (PO Box)
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| Area code(s) | 303 |
| FIPS code | 08-07025 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2409856 |
Black Hawk is a small city in Gilpin County, Colorado, United States. It's a special type of city called a home rule municipality, which means it has more control over its own local laws. In 2020, only 127 people lived there, making it the least populated city in Colorado.
Black Hawk was founded in 1859 during the exciting Pike's Peak Gold Rush. Back then, it was a busy mining town. Today, it's known for its casinos and is part of the larger Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The city is right next to Central City, another historic mining town. Together, they form the Central City/Black Hawk National Historic District, which is a special area recognized for its history. In the late 1800s, both towns grew a lot because of mining and a new railroad that connected them to Golden.
Black Hawk became quieter in the 1900s. But in 1991, things changed when casino gambling became legal there. This brought new life and visitors to the town. In 2010, the city tried to ban bicycles, which caused a lot of discussion. However, the Colorado Supreme Court later said the ban was not allowed in 2013.
Contents
History of Black Hawk
Black Hawk started as a mining camp called Black Hawk Point in 1859. At that time, it was part of the Territory of Kansas.
The Gold Mining Boom
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In May 1859, a man named John H. Gregory found gold in an area called Gregory Gulch. This discovery brought thousands of prospectors and miners to the area. They searched the hills for more gold veins, which are lines of gold in rocks. Another important gold vein, called the Bobtail lode, was found the next month.
On February 28, 1861, the Territory of Colorado was officially created. The Black Hawk Point post office opened in December 1862. For a few years, hardrock mining was very successful. This is when miners dig deep into the earth to find gold. However, by the mid-1860s, the easy-to-reach gold was gone. Miners found that their mills couldn't get gold from the deeper, more complex rocks.
This problem was solved in 1868 when Nathaniel P. Hill built Colorado's first successful ore smelter in Black Hawk. A smelter is a special factory that heats rocks to separate the valuable metals, like gold, from them. Hill's smelter saved the mining industry in Black Hawk, Central City, and Idaho Springs. Because of this, other smelters were built nearby. Black Hawk became known as the "City of Mills" because it was the main place for processing ore in the area.
The name of the Black Hawk Point post office was shortened to Black Hawk in 1871. The Colorado Central Railroad reached the town in 1872, making it easier to transport goods and people. Colorado became a state on August 1, 1876. Black Hawk was officially incorporated as a city on June 12, 1886.
Today, you can see a restored old train station and a locomotive on the east side of downtown. Black Hawk was also connected by a very narrow train track called the Gilpin Tramway. This tramway climbed from Black Hawk up to the mines above Central City.
The Gambling Boom
After casinos opened in Black Hawk in 1991, many old buildings in the town were restored. Black Hawk and its neighbor, Central City, have been competing for gambling visitors ever since.
When people drive from Denver, they usually pass Black Hawk's casinos first before reaching Central City. This has helped Black Hawk earn much more money from gambling. Also, Black Hawk has fewer rules about how tall buildings can be. Central City used to limit buildings to 53 feet (about 16 meters) to keep its historic look. Black Hawk has no such limits, allowing for larger casinos.
To try and get more visitors, Central City built a new road called the Central City Parkway in 2004. This road leads visitors directly to Central City first. However, Black Hawk still has more casinos and makes much more money from gambling than Central City.
When people voted to allow gambling in Black Hawk in 1990, one reason was to help preserve the town's history. But some people argue that building large casinos has actually changed the historic look of Black Hawk. Money from gambling taxes helps fund the State Historical Fund, which is used to protect Colorado's historic places.
Geography
Black Hawk is located along the north part of Clear Creek and in an area called Gregory Gulch.
According to the 2020 United States Census, the city covers about 6.871 square kilometers (about 2.65 square miles) of land. There is no water within the city limits.
Population Changes
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 1,068 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,540 | 44.2% | |
| 1890 | 1,067 | −30.7% | |
| 1900 | 1,200 | 12.5% | |
| 1910 | 668 | −44.3% | |
| 1920 | 253 | −62.1% | |
| 1930 | 253 | 0.0% | |
| 1940 | 289 | 14.2% | |
| 1950 | 166 | −42.6% | |
| 1960 | 171 | 3.0% | |
| 1970 | 217 | 26.9% | |
| 1980 | 232 | 6.9% | |
| 1990 | 227 | −2.2% | |
| 2000 | 118 | −48.0% | |
| 2010 | 118 | 0.0% | |
| 2020 | 127 | 7.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Over the years, Black Hawk's population has changed a lot. It was very large during the gold rush, with over 1,500 people in 1880. Then, as mining slowed down, the population decreased. In recent years, with the casinos, the population has stayed small but stable. In 2020, there were 127 people living in Black Hawk.
Education
Students in Black Hawk attend schools that are part of the Gilpin County School District RE-1. This district has two schools: Gilpin County Elementary School and Gilpin County Undivided High School.
About 380 students are enrolled in the district.
Transportation
The Black Hawk & Central City Tramway offers a free shuttle service between Black Hawk and Central City. This makes it easy to travel between the two towns. You can also find bus services like Ramblin Express and Ace Express Coaches that provide transportation from Denver.
Notable Person
- Nathaniel P. Hill: He was a chemistry professor who became very important in Black Hawk. He built the first successful smelter, which helped the mining industry greatly. He later became a U.S. senator.
See also
In Spanish: Black Hawk (Colorado) para niños
