Rosita, Colorado, Custer County: Rosita, a once-vibrant mining town, is now a ghost town that offers a glimpse into the past with its picturesque remnants. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: Custer County
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 38.1336° N, 105.3356° W
Elevation: Approximately 8,950 feet
Time Zone: Mountain Time Zone (MT)
Established: 1872
Disestablished: Not officially disbanded, but declined noticeably after the late 1880s.
Comments: Rosita was founded following the discovery of silver in the area, attracting miners and entrepreneurs. The town quickly grew, boasting a population of over 1,000 at its peak. However, by the late 1880s, the silver veins had been largely depleted, leading to a rapid decline in population and economic activity.
Remains: Several original structures still stand today, including the Rosita Hotel, a few residential buildings, and the old cemetery. These serve as reminders of the town’s vibrant past and offer a rich historical perspective for visitors exploring the area.
Rosita was founded in late 1872 by prospectors attracted by discoveries of silver. The town was composed of tents and log cabins but soon had stores, carpenters, a hotel, a saloon, a blacksmith shop, and an assayer. By 1874, the town had more than a thousand residents and 400 buildings.
A U.S. post office opened in 1874, and in September 1874, the Rosita Index began as a weekly newspaper. Rosita took the seat of Custer County away from Ula (now also a ghost town) in 1878.
Current Status: Rosita is considered a ghost town, with some private residences and properties still occupied. It remains a point of interest for tourists and history enthusiasts drawn to the remnants of Colorado’s mining era.
Although the old town has almost entirely disappeared (the former post office building is now an operating restaurant), the surrounding area has been largely developed into semi-rural home sites. The town was used in the filming of the 1958 western movie Saddle the Wind.
Remarks: Rosita’s historical importance is preserved through its remaining structures and the stories of its silver mining heyday. The town’s decline serves as a sign of the boom-and-bust cycles typical of many mining communities in the American West.
Visitors to Rosita can enjoy a peaceful atmosphere and a tangible sense of history, making it a unique destination for those seeking a connection to Colorado’s mining past.
Despite some rich strikes in the Pocahantas and Humboldt mines, the silver veins around Rosita ran out of ore in a few years. In the early 1880s, Rosita was surpassed by the nearby mining towns of Querida and Silver Cliff.
After a bitter four-year fight, Silver Cliff took the county seat from Rosita in the 1886 election, and Rosita declined further. The U.S. post office was closed in 1966. ZIP code 81252 now serves Rosita, but mail must be addressed to Westcliffe.
