Sopris, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sopris, Colorado
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 Sopris, Colorado
Location in Colorado
Sopris, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | Las Animas County |
| Elevation | 6,260 ft (1,908 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
81082 (Trinidad)
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| Area code(s) | 719 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0194702 |
Sopris was once a small community in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. Today, it is known as a ghost town. This means it's a place where people used to live, but they have all left, and the town is now empty. Sopris is special because it's actually located under the water of Trinidad Lake in Trinidad Lake State Park.
The community was named after General E. B. Sopris. He was a person who owned a lot of land in that area.
What is a Ghost Town?
A ghost town is a place that was once a busy community but is now mostly or completely empty. People leave ghost towns for many reasons. Sometimes, the main industry, like a mine, closes down. Other times, natural disasters or changes in transportation routes can make people move away. Sopris became a ghost town because its location was chosen for a new lake.
Sopris Under the Lake
Sopris is unique because it's not just abandoned; it's submerged! This means the old town is now covered by the water of Trinidad Lake. The lake was created as part of a project to control floods and provide water for the area. When the lake was built, the town of Sopris was flooded and now lies beneath the surface. This makes it a very unusual ghost town.
Even though the town is underwater, the U.S. Post Office in nearby Trinidad still handles mail for Sopris's old addresses. This uses the ZIP Code 81082.
Geography of Sopris
Sopris is located in Colorado at these coordinates: 37°10′09″N 104°29′38″W / 37.16917°N 104.49389°W. This tells us its exact spot on a map. The town's elevation is about 1908 meters (or 6,260 feet) above sea level. This is quite high up, as Colorado is known for its mountains.
