Stout, Colorado facts for kids
Stout was once a small town in southern Larimer County, Colorado in the United States. It was located in the foothills southwest of Fort Collins, near a ridge called the Dakota Hogback. Stout is no longer a town today. It was abandoned to make way for a large lake called Horsetooth Reservoir.
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What Was Stout?
Stout was a unique place with an interesting history. It was founded in the 1860s. The town began as a camp for workers. These workers were busy at the nearby stone quarries. Quarries are places where stone is dug out of the ground.
Early Days and Stone Quarries
The Union Pacific Railroad invested in the stone quarries near Stout. They helped to develop the mining operations. At one point, the Colorado and Southern Railway built a special rail line. This line went from Fort Collins directly to Stout. It was used to transport the heavy stone. The railway needed the stone for its own building projects.
People from Fort Collins also visited Stout. Fort Collins had a long-standing rule. This rule prevented people from buying certain goods there. Because of the railroad, it was easy for Fort Collins residents to travel to Stout. They could get things there that were not available in their own town.
Why Stout Disappeared
The town of Stout was abandoned in 1949. This happened to make room for a big project. The valley where Stout stood was going to be filled with water. This water would create the Horsetooth Reservoir. The reservoir was part of a much larger plan. This plan was called the Colorado-Big Thompson Project. It aimed to move water from one side of the mountains to the other.
Today, some parts of the original town site are underwater. They are located beneath the southern end of Horsetooth Reservoir.
Stout Today: A New Community
In recent years, a small community has grown. It is located around the southern edge of the reservoir. This area is often called "South Bay" by local people.
There is a fun sign at the southern end of the reservoir. It playfully announces the area as "Stout, population 47-1/2". This name is not official. However, many people in Fort Collins use it. It helps keep the memory of the old town alive.
