Crested Butte, Colorado
| Town of Crested Butte, Colorado | |
|---|---|
| Home Rule Municipality | |
Crested Butte - the town and mountain
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| Nickname(s): Wildflower Capital of Colorado | |
| Motto: "A National Historic District" | |
 Location in Gunnison County and the State of Colorado |
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| Coordinates: 38°52′04″N 106°58′38″W / 38.867736°N 106.977266°WCoordinates: 38°52′04″N 106°58′38″W / 38.867736°N 106.977266°W | |
| Country |
 United States
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| State |
 State of Colorado
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| County | Gunnison County |
| Incorporated | July 15, 1880 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Home Rule Municipality |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.8 sq mi (2.2 km2) |
| • Land | 0.8 sq mi (2.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 8,909 ft (2,715 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,487 |
| • Density | 1,800/sq mi (680/km2) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP Codes | 81224 & 81225 (PO Box) |
| Area code(s) | 970 |
| INCITS place code | 0818310 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0188848 |
| Website | www |
Crested Butte is a home rule municipality in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 1,487 at the 2010 United States Census. The former coal mining town is now called "the last great Colorado ski town". Crested Butte is a destination for skiing, mountain biking, and a variety of other outdoor activities.
The Colorado General Assembly has designated Crested Butte the Wildflower Capital of Colorado.
The East River Valley where Crested Butte is located was once used as a summer residence by the Ute people. However, they were quickly displaced when European-Americans first entered the area. The first whites to explore the valley were beaver trappers, shortly followed by surveyors. Captain John Gunnison, after who Gunnison County is named, was one of the early explorers to enter the area.
In the 1860s and 1870s coal and silver mines began to open in the surrounding area, and many little mining towns formed. However, when silver mining began to decline, many of these towns failed. Crested Butte, however, was in a better position to survive because it served as a supply town to the surrounding area.
Another industry that served to support Crested Butte was ranching.
When the coal mines closed, the town began to shrink, and eventually the local high school was closed. Students had to travel to Gunnison to go to high school. The town did not revive until a ski area was built on Crested Butte Mountain in the 1960s. From the 1960s to 1990, the Crested Butte public school only facilitated K-5 students, while 6th grade and higher attended school in Gunnison. In 1990 Crested Butte offered middle school in the railroad depot building. In 1992 a new middle school was completed which allowed the public school to facilitate grades K through 8. Finally in 1997, a new facility for the Crested Butte Community School was completed. This included the addition of a public high school so that the school now serves students in grades K-12.
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