Empire - Colorado Ghost Town

EMPIRE

NAME: Empire
COUNTY: Clear Creek
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 2
CLIMATE: Cold winter with snow, cool summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Summer

COMMENTS: Semi-ghost - pop about 400.
REMAINS: Many buildings and remains.

The site was originally called Valley City. For a short while, it was also known as Union City to demonstrate the residents' sympathy for the northern cause in the civil War. "Empire" comes from the nickname of New York, home state of many of the early residents. Fifteen hundred people were here during the early boom, but lack of water and good ores soon drove the residents to other boomtowns. Early prospectors traveled over old Union Pass in the early 1860s to get to Empire. Although the town never amounted to much as a mining town, it became an important stage and supply town feeding the booming cities over the pass. Today, Empire is experiencing a tourist and winter sports expansion program. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.

The site was originally called Valley City. For a short while, it was also known as Union City to demonstrate the residents' sympathy for the northern cause in the civil War. "Empire" comes from the nickname of New York, home state of many of the early residents. Fifteen hundred people were here during the early boom, but lack of water and good ores soon drove the residents to other boomtowns. Early prospectors traveled over old Union Pass in the early 1860s to get to Empire. Although the town never amounted to much as a mining town, it became an important stage and supply town feeding the booming cities over the pass. Today, Empire is experiencing a tourist and winter sports expansion program. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.

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