Mystic, Colorado facts for kids
Mystic was once a small town in Routt County, Colorado, but now it's a ghost town. This means that most or all of its people have moved away, and the buildings are often empty or falling apart. The United States government keeps track of places like Mystic, classifying them as "populated places" even if no one lives there anymore.
The Story of Mystic, Colorado
Mystic was officially recognized as a community in 1910 when it got its own post office. A post office is a really important part of a town because it helps people send and receive mail, connecting them to the outside world. The town was named after Mystic, Iowa, which was the former home of one of the first settlers who came to live in this area.
Why Towns Become Ghost Towns
Towns like Mystic often become ghost towns when the main reason people settled there disappears. For example, many towns in Colorado started because of mining or farming. If the mine closed or the land became difficult to farm, people would move away to find work somewhere else.
In Mystic's case, the post office, which was a key part of the community, stayed open until 1942. After that, it closed down, and over time, people left the town, making it a ghost town. Today, you can sometimes find old foundations or scattered remains of buildings, reminding us of the people who once lived there.