Gillett, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gillett
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Town
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Location of Gillett, Colorado in 2024
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 Gillett
Location in Colorado
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| Country | United States of America |
| State | Colorado |
| County | Teller County |
| Elevation | 9,938 ft (3,029 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
Gillett (sometimes spelled Gillette) is a fascinating ghost town in Colorado, United States. It's located near Cripple Creek in Teller County.
The town changed its name a few times. First, it was called West Beaver Park. Then, it became Cripple City. Finally, it was named Gillett after W.K. Gillett. He was a railroad man who helped create the Midland Terminal railroad. This railroad was a part of the Colorado Midland Railroad. Gillett had its own post office from 1894 to 1913.
Gillett is most famous for one very unusual event. It was the site of the only bullfight ever held in the United States!
Contents
A Look at Gillett's Past
Gillett was known as a friendly place for families. It even had several churches. The town grew because of the nearby mines. These mines helped the area become very busy and successful.
Sports in Gillett
In May 1896, a professional minor league baseball team moved to Gillett. This team was from Cripple Creek. Their ballpark there had been destroyed by a fire. The team played in the Colorado State League. However, they only stayed in Gillett for a short time. The team stopped playing at the end of that same month.
The Famous Bullfight
In 1895, Gillett hosted a truly unique event: the only bullfight ever held in the US. About 50,000 people came to watch. Some of them were famous people from the US and Mexico.
The bulls and bullfighters traveled all the way from Mexico. The long journey might have made the bulls very tired and grumpy. The bullfight quickly turned into a riot. After things calmed down, the bulls were taken away. Their meat was given to people who needed it.
Decline and Disappearance
After 1900, Gillett slowly started to shrink. By the 1940s, most of the town was empty. On June 16, 1965, a huge flash flood hit the area. It rained 14 inches (35.6 cm) between Pueblo and Denver. This flood washed away a small, old dam above Gillett. The water then swept away most of the town's old buildings.
What's Left Today?
Today, very little of Gillett remains. You can still see small parts of a church's walls. In the 1940s, only the roof of this church had fallen in. Now, these walls are in a hayfield west of the highway. There's also a jail building. It sits next to a few old, empty houses near a bend in the road. You might also spot a couple of old fire hydrants.
Gillett also has a small airstrip. It runs next to Colorado State Highway 67. Soldiers from nearby Fort Carson used to land planes here. They would then practice high-altitude survival training.
Railroad Connection
The Midland Terminal Railway reached Gillett in 1894. The Gillett Post Office opened soon after this. Because of the land around it, Gillett became a train stop for Victor, Colorado. A good road was built to connect the two towns. A company called Co-Operative Brick Company also made bricks near Gillett. They supplied bricks for the whole area.
However, Gillett was quite far from the main mining areas. It never grew very large. A report from 1902 said only about 300 people lived there. When the mines started to close, Gillett became a true ghost town.
Where is Gillett?
The site of Gillett is in a valley. It's next to a highway near Cripple Creek. This area is in Teller County, Colorado, United States. As mentioned, very little of the original town is left today.
