Hahns Peak Village, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hahns Peak Village
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A view of Hahns Peak Village from nearby Steamboat Lake State Park.
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 Hahns Peak Village
Location in Colorado
Hahns Peak Village
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  State of Colorado |
| County | Routt County |
| Elevation | 8,132 ft (2,479 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
Hahns Peak Village is a small, unincorporated community in Routt County, Colorado, United States. It's located about 7 miles (11 km) north of Clark and just half a mile (0.8 km) east of Steamboat Lake State Park. The village gets its name from the nearby Hahns Peak, which is about 2.7 miles (4.3 km) to the north-northeast.
Contents
History
Early Days
Hahns Peak Village started as a placer gold mining camp around 1865. A group of about fifty miners, led by three men named Joseph Hahn, William Doyle, and George Way, came to the area. Joseph Hahn, who was an immigrant from Germany, was chosen to lead the mining group.
After the summer, most of the miners left the area for the winter. Only Hahn, Doyle, and Way stayed behind. Way was supposed to leave in October to get supplies and then return to the camp. However, he never came back, and no one knows why. The next spring, Doyle and Hahn were very weak when they tried to leave. Sadly, Hahn died during their journey.
Because of its early beginnings, Hahns Peak Village is the oldest permanent settlement in the northern part of Routt County.
Mining Challenges
Around the early 1900s, the mine was at its busiest. Hahns Peak Village was home to several thousand people during this time. By 1905, bigger mining companies had brought even more miners to the village.
However, even though there was a lot of gold in the mine, it was too hard to get it out efficiently. Also, the closest place to process the gold (a smelting facility) was more than 30 miles (48 km) away. These problems made it difficult for the mine to keep going, and the village almost disappeared.
A New Chapter
In 1912, Hahns Peak Village lost its status as the county seat to Steamboat Springs. It had been the county seat since 1877. Ranchers tried to settle in the area, but the harsh winters made it very difficult. This stopped the village from growing much again.
However, things changed when the nearby Steamboat Lake State Park was created in 1967. This park brings almost 400,000 visitors each year, which has been very important for helping the community survive and thrive.
The Hahns Peak post office was open from 1877 until 1941. Now, mail services for the village are handled by the post office in nearby Clark.
Today, you can still see some history on Main Street. An old cabin from the 1800s, called the Wither Cabin, has been restored. The Hahns Peak Schoolhouse, which was used as a school from 1912 to 1943, is also on Main Street. This historic school is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
