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Hahns Peak Colorado Ghost Town

Photos Mike Sinnwell September 2013

Delightful town with a very gracious lady at the museum. If in Steamboat Springs you should take a side trip and visit. It is close to Seamboat Lake State Park.

Joseph Hahn found gold in the area in 1862. Therefore Hahns Peak became a gold mining camp in the 1860’s. It even had the distinction of being the in a battle for the county seat for Routt County. The county records were on a revolving table going from Hayden, to International Camp, to Hahns Peak and finally ending up in Steamboat Springs.  In 1912 Steamboat started to grow and have enough votes to bring home the county seat.

Some say it was also had the first Routt County post office. The post office was in place from 1877 to 1941. It also has a “bear cage” jail. Supposedly the wild bunch had a few of their gang reside in the Bear Cage for a brief time. A couple of guys named David Lant and Harry Tracy. But they escaped; oops they were caught again and sent to Aspen. Apparently they had murdered a deputy.

Charlie Utter even spent time in Hahns Peak and he spoke with the Ute Chief Colorow when the chief protested the invasion of the whites into his territory.

Make sure you check out the cabin and the furnishings as well as tour the museum. At least a dozen older buildings dating back to the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.