History of Breckenridge

In 1859 gold was discovered along the Blue River, and with just 29 men and 1 woman, a base camp was set-up. During the period between the late 1850’s and the mid 1860’s prospectors came to the area in droves at the height of the Gold Rush era. Placer mining, the process of mining for gold in the stream and river beds, was the original method of mining in the area, but prospectors soon followed the gold to its source in larger veins in the mountains surrounding the future town of Breckenridge.

The town of Breckenridge, Colorado was founded in 1859 by a small group of gold prospectors and General George E. Spencer. It was Spencer who proposed the name "Breckinridge" after then Vice President of the united states John Breckinridge, in an effort to obtain a post office for the newly established town. The idea worked and the post office was established and became the first post office between the Continental Divide and Salt Lake City, Utah and the town of Breckinridge was born!
Two years later, as the Civil War broke out and the Vice President was expelled for treason. Due to embarrassment, the little town of Breckinridge very quietly changed the spelling of their town's name from Breckinridge to Breckenridge – changing the “i” to an “e”. The town has been known as Breckenridge ever since.

By mid-1861, Breckenridge boasted several stores, hotels, saloons, and the post office. On October 11, 1861, the Town secured the Denver Bradford, and Blue River Road Wagon Company connection, which gave lifeblood to the little gold mining community. Breckenridge's Main Street allowed for ease in turning around freight wagons and became the center of social and athletic activities. During the mining heyday, Breckenridge provided the miners with a variety of attractions.
Miners and prospectors found it increasingly difficult to find freely accessible gold, and for the next decade, as mining companies started to consolidate their holdings, Breckenridge suffered a sort of depression, the population dropping to 51 people in 1870.

However, the development of hydraulic mining reinitiated the development of a second boom era for Breckenridge with the discovery of rich silver and lead deposits in 1879.
In the late 1880’s the population grew to nearly 1700 inhabitants and the town was home to many saloons, dancehalls and hotels. In 1887 the largest gold nugget discovered to date in the state of Colorado was found by Tom Groves. Coined "Tom’s Baby" the 13 pound nugget again put Breckenridge on the map.

Like most mining towns of the era, Breckenridge was not the most pious of communities. Drinking, gambling, and prostitution were rampant. Breckenridge was home to one of the most famous evangelists in Colorado history - Reverend John Lewis Dyer. The "Snowshoe Itinerant," as the Methodist minister was known, walked and skied his way through the mountains, taking the gospel to those whom might not hear it otherwise. By carrying heavy mail sacks over the snow-packed mountain passes, Father Dyer was able to earn enough money to continue his missionary work in Breckenridge.

In 1880, he built Breckenridge’s first church which is now located on Wellington Road. Father Dyer established a local parish, determined to set the town straight. When he refused to stop ringing his church bells, waking up the hung over residents of Breckenridge, the townspeople used dynamite mining caps to blow up his church steeple.
Father Dyers cabin still stands today. Reverend Dyer and two down-on-their-luck miners built this small cabin in 1880. The transitional log cabin is typical of cabins built in the 1870s and 1880s: it has a wood plank floor, a shingled roof, a window, a board-and-batten door (over which a horseshoe is hung for good luck) and logs notched in saddle fashion. Log cabins were well suited to frontier towns and mining camps because they were quickly thrown together, and if necessary, one man could build a cabin by himself.

Inside this cabin, as in most cabins, are homemade furniture and an iron stove. Bunk beds are built in one corner; often they were attached to the walls. On the newspaper-lined shelf at the head of the bed are matches, a candle, tobacco, pipes, a shaving mug and razor. The table is covered with cans of sugar, salt and condensed milk plus a few tin plates and cups. Cups are kept upside down to keep out rodents and dirt. On an upturned box is a water bucket and wash pan. A ladder leads to the loft and burlap serves as the window curtain.

Visitors note the lack of homey touches. The authentic simplicity shows what little the cabin's inhabitants needed.
Directions: Father Dyer's Cabin is located at 310 Wellington Road, Breckenridge, near the intersection of Wellington and French Street. From Blue River Plaza in the center of Breckenridge, proceed north on Main Street (toward Frisco) for two blocks to Wellington Road. Turn right (east) and proceed two blocks to French. Father Dyer's Cabin is located on the left side of the street beside the Methodist Church.

With the turn of the century came the gold dredging boats which scoured the creeks and riverbeds for gold. Employing fewer people than placer mining, the dredge boats eventually led to a waning population in Breckenridge once again. One of the longest standing traditions in historic Breckenridge, surviving booms and busts alike, is the Gold Pan Saloon on north Main Street. This saloon is the longest continuously operated bar west of the Mississippi River.

The Gold Pan Saloon Restaurant http://www.skitownrestaurants.com/breckenridge/restaurant.php?rid=137
The Dredge Boat Restaurant link
http://www.skitownrestaurants.com/breckenridge/restaurant.php?rid=124

In 1908 school children discovered Pug Ryan's treasure near Breckenridge. Pug Ryan and his gang robbed the Denver Hotel in Breckenridge in 1898, making off with considerable loot. The robbery resulted in a shoot-out and the death of all the gang members except Pug who escaped--never to return to claim his prize. The found treasure included the gold watch of the Denver Hotel's owner.

Dredge mining destroyed the riverbeds, and upturned the banks along the Blue River. The earliest settlers’ homes on the banks of the river were all but destroyed. Little vegetation was left in its path and the population dropped to just 300 people in the 1950’s. Town members feared the area would soon be a ghost town.

In July of 1961, Rounds and Porter Lumber Company of Wichita, Kansas is issued a permit for a new ski area in Breckenridge. Tapping into a new "vein" of winter sports, the ski area ensures the continuation of the town and the area's history.
December of 1961, the Breckenridge Ski Area officially opened with one Heron double chairlift and a short T-bar. Almost 17,000 skier visits were recorded that first season.

It wasn’t until President Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway System, created in 1973, built the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70, that the town’s recreational activities became popular.

Trygve Berge, a native Norwegian, served as the Breckenridge Ski School Director for the resort's first 11 years. Trygve was a Norwegian national ski champ in 1955 and founded a ski school with Stein Eriksen prior to locating in Breckenridge. Today Trygve's legacy is honored with Trygves Run for beginners, and the Bergenhof Restaurant, both named for him.

In 1971, Peak 9 opened with two double chairs and 12 trails. Skier visits for the 1971-72 totaled 221,000, compared to 17,000 during the 1961-62 season.

Today, downtown Breckenridge boasts one of Colorado’s largest historical districts with about 250 buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The historic district is about 12 square blocks and there are 171 buildings with points of historic interest. Information about the district is available at the Summit Historical Society which conducts walking tours that take you past many prominent structures and during the summer time, the locals run Gold Mine Tours which are quite exciting.