Lake George, Colorado facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lake George, Colorado
Unincorporated community
U.S. Route 24 in Lake George, December 2018
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Park
Elevation	7,993 ft (2,436 m)
Time zone	UTC-7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code	80827
GNIS feature ID	191146

Lake George is a small, unincorporated community in Park County, Colorado, United States. This means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. It has a U.S. Post Office with the ZIP Code 80827. Lake George is located along U.S. Highway 24, which is northwest of Colorado Springs. It's also just a few miles north of the interesting Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.

History of Lake George

Henry and Adella Rockett stand outside the Lake George Post Office and General Store in Lake George in 1916. Today, this old Post Office is part of the Granite Canyon General Store.

The community of Lake George was started in 1891. It began as a stop for the Colorado Midland Railway, a train line that was finished in 1887. The town is about 42 miles (68 km) northwest of Colorado Springs. It's also about 7 miles (12 km) northwest of Florissant.

The Lake and the Railroad

A nearby lake, which is west of the town, was created by a man named George Frost. He built it to supply ice for the railroad. The lake was first called George's Lake. Later, when the post office opened, its name was changed to Lake George. In winter, the lake freezes almost completely solid. This made it perfect for railroad workers to cut large blocks of ice. This ice was used to keep food and other items cool during transport. A private ice company in Lake George supplied ice to many areas around Pikes Peak. The ice was shipped by train to Colorado Springs and the Cripple Creek, Colorado mining district.

Early Life and Changes

During the time the railroad was active, Chinese workers were brought in for labor. If you walk into the hills nearby, you can still find old Chinese bread ovens from that period. Around 1900, about 30 people lived in Lake George. After 1900, some local farmers and ranchers started growing potatoes in the high-altitude area. This created more business for the railroad.

The Colorado Midland Railway closed in August 1918. Keeping the tracks open in winter was very expensive. Also, the amount of ore being mined decreased. Eventually, the train tracks were removed. Today, U.S. Route 24 follows the path where the old railway used to be. By 1941, the population of Lake George had grown to 100 people. The town became a center for growing potatoes. In 1965, the community still had about 100 residents.

Modern Community and Events

In 1995, a group of female monks from the Orthodox Church in America moved to Lake George. They built a monastery on 10.3 acres of land. In 1999, they bought another 3.5 acres to expand their monastery. This community publishes Eastern Orthodox Christian prayer books. They also host public Divine Services.

Lake George has also seen some big natural events. The Hayman Fire, the largest fire ever recorded in Colorado, started near Lake George on June 8, 2002. This fire burned almost 140,000 acres (567 square kilometers). In 2009, a tornado caused minor damage in the area. Another tornado hit in 2014, damaging some cabins.

Geography of Lake George

Lake George, the town's namesake lake, in September 2007.

Lake George is surrounded by natural beauty and interesting places. Nearby, you'll find Camp Alexander. This is a camp for the Pikes Peak Council of the Boy Scouts. The beautiful Elevenmile Reservoir is also close by.

An original homestead from the potato farming days still stands nearby. It has been turned into a dude ranch called the M Lazy C Guest Ranch. A dude ranch is a type of holiday ranch where guests can experience cowboy life.

Climate in Lake George

Lake George has a type of climate called a cold semi-arid climate. This means it's usually dry, but it's also quite cold, especially in winter. The weather can change a lot between seasons.