Tincup, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tincup, Colorado
Tin Cup, Colorado
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General store in Tincup
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 Tincup, Colorado
Location in Colorado
Tincup, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| County | Gunnison |
| Elevation | 10,158 ft (3,096 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
81210
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| GNIS feature ID | 189089 |
Tincup, also known as Tin Cup, was first named Virginia City. It is a small, unincorporated community in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. This means it's a group of homes and buildings that isn't officially a town or city. Tincup used to be a busy mining town. Today, it is mostly a place for summer homes, though a few people live there all year. Many of its old buildings are still standing and well cared for. The only businesses in Tincup are a small store and a famous place called Frenchy's, both open only during the summer.
A post office opened in the area on July 22, 1879, and was called Virginia. Its name changed to Tin Cup on February 28, 1880. Finally, it became Tincup on May 7, 1895. The Tincup post office closed on January 31, 1918.
Contents
History of Tincup
Early Gold Discoveries
In October 1859, a gold prospector named Jim Taylor found some gold in Willow Creek. He carried it back to his camp in a tin cup. Because of this, he named the valley "Tin Cup Gulch." For many years, people came to this area to find gold using a method called placer mining. This is where gold is washed from sand or gravel. However, no one built year-round towns because of possible dangers from Native American groups.
From Virginia City to Tin Cup
In 1878, miners found new gold deposits deep in the ground, called lode deposits. This led to the creation of a town. The town of Virginia City was planned in March 1879. By 1880, the town had grown to 1,495 people. Virginia City became an official town in August 1880.
However, there was confusion because other towns in the United States were also named Virginia City, like Virginia City, Nevada and Virginia City, Montana. To avoid this, the people living there decided to change the name. The town was officially renamed Tin Cup in July 1882.
Life in Early Tin Cup
Life in early Tin Cup could be quite challenging. The town's law enforcement officers, known as marshals, faced dangerous situations. For example, town marshal Harry Rivers died in 1882, and marshal Andy Jameson was also killed in 1883.
Decline of the Mining Town
The town's population began to shrink as the gold mines ran out. The post office closed in 1918. The last town election was also held in 1918, marking the end of Tin Cup as a busy, active town.
Important Landmarks
The Boothill Cemetery is located just south of Tincup. It is a historic burial ground. The Great Divide also passes through Tincup, forming a mountain pass known as Tincup Pass. This divide separates the rivers that flow to the Atlantic Ocean from those that flow to the Pacific Ocean.
