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Idaho Springs, Colorado

City of Idaho Springs, Colorado
Statutory City
Idaho Springs as seen from the surrounding mountains.
Idaho Springs as seen from the surrounding mountains.
Location in Clear Creek County and the State of Colorado
Location in Clear Creek County and the State of Colorado
Coordinates: 39°44′33″N 105°30′52″W / 39.74250°N 105.51444°W / 39.74250; -105.51444
Country United States
State  State of Colorado
County Clear Creek County
Founded 1859
Incorporated 1885-11-15
Government
 • Type Statutory City
 • Mayor Michael Hillman
Area
 • Total 2.2 sq mi (5.7 km2)
 • Land 2.2 sq mi (5.6 km2)
 • Water 0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation 7,526 ft (2,294 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 1,717
 • Density 792/sq mi (305.8/km2)
Time zone MST (UTC-7)
 • Summer (DST) MDT (UTC-6)
ZIP code 80452
Area code(s) 303 Exchange: 567 and 720
FIPS code 08-38370
GNIS feature ID 204710
Website www.idahospringsco.com

The City of Idaho Springs is a Statutory City which is the most populous municipality in Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,717. Idaho Springs is located in Clear Creek Canyon, in the mountains upstream from Golden, some 30 miles (48 km) west of Denver. Local legend is that the name of the city derived from annual visits to the radium hot springs made by a Native American chief and his tribe who journeyed there each year from Idaho to bathe in the magic healing waters.

Founded in 1859 by prospectors during the early days of the Pike's Peak Gold Rush, the town was at the center of the region's mining district throughout the late nineteenth century. The Argo Tunnel drained and provided access to many lodes of ore between Idaho Springs and Central City. During the late twentieth century, the town evolved into a tourist center along U.S. Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 40, which ascend Clear Creek Canyon through the historic mining district.

The town today is squeezed along the north side of Interstate 70, with a historical downtown in the central portion, a strip of tourist-related businesses on its eastern end, and mostly residences on its western end. It also serves as a bedroom community for workers at the Loveland Ski Area farther up the canyon. The town today is the largest community in Clear Creek County, but, for historical reasons, the county seat has remained at Georgetown.


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