Ohio City, Colorado facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ohio City, Colorado Ohio, Colorado
Unincorporated community
Ohio City, August 2014
Ohio City, Colorado Location in Colorado Show map of Colorado Ohio City, Colorado Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Gunnison
Elevation	8,570 ft (2,610 m)
Time zone	UTC-7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code	81237
GNIS feature ID	189049

Ohio City is a small, quiet community in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. It is an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own city government. The Ohio City Post Office uses the ZIP Code 81237.

A Look Back at Ohio City's History

Ohio City began in the 1860s because of placer gold mining. This is when gold is found in flakes or nuggets in stream beds. For a while, people couldn't find where the gold was originally coming from.

The Silver Discovery

In 1879, a miner named Jacob Hess found silver in Ohio Creek. Before this, the creek was known for gold. Hess moved his camp there and called his new settlement Eagle City. He was the first person to settle there officially.

In 1881, Ohio City was properly mapped out. The next year, the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad built tracks right through the town. This made it easier for people and goods to travel.

Boom and Bust

However, in 1893, the price of silver dropped a lot. This caused many people to leave Ohio City. By 1898, the town was almost empty.

Gold Returns!

Luckily, the original source of the gold nuggets was finally found in 1896. This led to new and successful mining projects. One important mine was the Willow Creek Mine. It still produces valuable materials like feldspar, quartz, muscovite mica, and even small pieces of gold. Another popular spot, Opportunity Mine, is known for blue beryl, black tourmaline, and pink lepidolite.

Mining in Ohio City

After the silver market crashed, only a few mines kept going. In 1898, the Cortland Mine was the only one still working in the area.

Mining Companies and People

Around the early 1900s, three students from Harvard University, the Carter brothers, explored the land. One of them, Carroll M. Carter, later started the Carter Mining Company.

At the same time, E. M. Lamont created the Raymond Consolidated Mines Company. This company also mined in the local area.

From 1908 to 1912, the Colorado Smelting and Mining Company was active. It was led by A. E. Reynolds and mined at places like the Sacramento mine and the Silver Islet mine.

What's the Weather Like?

Ohio City has a very cold winter season. It's long and very cold, with clear days and not much snow. The air is also very dry. This type of weather is called a "Continental Subarctic Climate" by scientists.