Masters, Colorado facts for kids

Masters is what we call a ghost town in Weld County, Colorado. A ghost town is a place where people used to live, but now it's mostly empty and abandoned.

What Was Masters?

Masters was once a small community in Colorado. It's now considered a "populated place" by the U.S. Geological Survey (GNIS), even though no one lives there anymore. This means it's a recognized location on maps.

A Town's Beginning

The town of Masters got its start in 1900. It was named after a local rancher who owned the land where the town was built. A post office was opened in Masters that same year. Post offices were very important back then because they were how people sent and received letters and packages. The Masters post office stayed open for a long time, finally closing its doors in 1967.

The Railroad Connection

Masters was located along a very important railroad line. This line connected the towns of LaSalle and Julesburg. The Colorado Central Railroad built this track, which helped Masters grow. Towns often grew up around railroads because trains were the main way to transport goods and people. A special side track, called a "siding," was also built north of the post office, right near the South Platte River. A siding is like a parking spot for trains, allowing them to pull off the main line.

Why Did Masters Disappear?

Like many small towns, Masters eventually faded away. The railroad line that was so important to the town was abandoned by the Union Pacific Railroad in the 1990s. When the trains stopped coming through, the town lost its main connection to the outside world. Without the railroad, people moved away, and Masters became the ghost town it is today.