Gillette, Colorado, Teller County is a alluring ghost town with a rich history that once thrived during the gold rush era. Known for its bustling activity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Gillette has become a symbol of the fleeting nature of mining towns. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: Teller County
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 38.7525° N, 105.1533° W
Elevation: Approximately 9,200 feet
Time Zone: Mountain Time Zone (MTZ)
Established: 1896
Disestablished: Early 20th century, circa 1916
Comments: Gillette, Colorado, emerged as a vibrant community during the Cripple Creek Gold Rush. It was strategically located near the rich gold mining areas and became an essential hub for miners and their families.
The town was once home to a notable railroad depot, which connected it to the larger networks facilitating the gold rush economy.
Remains: Today, visitors to Gillette can find remnants of old structures, including foundations and artifacts, that hint at the town’s bustling past.
The landscape is dotted with mining equipment and debris, offering a glimpse into the industrial activities that once dominated the area. Gillett was reportedly a family-friendly community and included several churches. The nearby mines contributed to the boom of the town.
From 1895 to 1896, Gillett hosted a professional minor league baseball team that participated in the Colorado State League. In 1895, the only bullfight held in the US took place in Gillette. 50,000 people, some of the celebrities from the US and Mexico, attended.
The bulls and bullfighters traveled to Gillett from Mexico; the trip possibly caused the bulls to become overtired and irritable. The bullfight soon turned into a riot. After the riot was quelled, the bulls were taken to slaughter, and their meat was given to the poor.
During the first decade of the 1900s, the town began a slow decline and was completely or mostly abandoned by the 1940s.
Current Status: Gillette is classified as a ghost town. It is primarily visited by history enthusiasts and tourists interested in exploring the remnants of Colorado’s mining past. The area is largely uninhabited, and nature has reclaimed much of the land.
The only remnants of the city are small parts of a church’s walls (in the 1940s, only the roof had collapsed), located in what is now a hayfield to the west of the highway; the jail, located beside a few abandoned residential houses at a road bend; and a couple of fire hydrants.
Remarks: Gillette’s story is a proof of the boom-and-bust cycles that characterized many mining towns during the gold rush era. Its proximity to the Cripple Creek District made it an integral part of Colorado’s mining history.
Today, it is a reminder of the impermanence of such settlements and the enduring allure of the quest for gold.
