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Ohio City

July 2019

Dying a slow death more than once

The town was originally known as Eagle City when gold was discovered in the early 1860’s and renamed to Ohio City because most of the prospectors were from Ohio. Ohio City in 1880 got its post office.

Some Ohio City Ups and Downs.

1860’s - Founded as a gold mining town. people left after gold ran out,

1879 - the Colorado Silver Boom brought miners back into the area. A large vein was found, and Ohio City was reborn. After the Silver Boom collapse in 1893, folks left town once again.

1896 - Prospectors came back in and found the lode that was the source for the gold found in the ’60s. Mining continued until around 1916 when profits dried up.

At its peak, it had a population of 300. Ohio City survived only because of the Railroad to the Alpine Tunnel and because of its position in the general area. Plenty of small camps and mines nearby. Even after its mines had closed, it supported the mines nearby. By 1940, only 78 residents remained, and by 1950, only 50 lived in Ohio City.

Ohio city had a few shoot outs and one even resulted in both combatants dying. It’s now a quiet hideaway for summer homes and cabins, with plenty of camping and recreation around.