From Gold Boom to Snow Boom
Breckenridge and Summit County have a rich and varied history that has spanned for thousands of years. Native Americans first used the land as their summer home hunting the abundant valleys for elk, deer and buffalo. Fur trappers next discovered the high mountain rivers rich with beavers in the early 1800’s and profited greatly off of the pelts they collected. The gold rush at the end of the 19th century brought the next wave of inhabitants to the area in the form of miners seeking their fortunes in the gold floating in the streams and buried deep within the mountains. Mining towns were quickly established all over Summit County and were sometimes home to upwards of 500 people. Nothing but a few cabin remains is left of most of these once crowded town. The riches of these once abundant mines were soon tapped out and the onset of WWII brought the last of the dwindling mines to a final halt. Breckenridge may have become a ghost town like so many other mining boom towns, however the snow boom that hit the area in the middle of the 20th century led to the vibrant, busy town as we know it today. Breckenridge is a unique resort town as it existed long before the ski area, unlike so many ski towns which were built specifically around the slopes. There are many local museums and resources available if you are interested in exploring Breckenridge’s history further. For more information as well as events taking place visit GoBreck