Cripple Creek, Colorado
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Cripple Creek, is a city in Teller County, Colorado; it is the county seat. Cripple Creek is 24 miles south west of Colorado Springs, Colorado on the southern slopes of Pike's Peak. It was the most fabulous gold mining camp of Colorado.
History
For many years, at an elevation of about 11,000 feet, near the timberline, the area was considered no more than cattle pasture. It was the site of a hoax, the Mount Pisgah Fiasco, a mini gold rush caused by "salting" (putting a bit of rich ore in a worthless site). In 1891, however, rich ore was found and the last great Colorado gold rush was on.
Thousands of prospectors flocked to the mountains, including W. S. Stratton, who located the famous Independence Lode, one of the largest gold strikes in history. The gold-bearing area was the core of an ancient volcano of six square miles. Cripple Creek is in the Thirtynine Mile volcanic field. Free gold was found near the surface but at depth unoxidized tellurides and sulfides were found.
There were serious labor problems, perhaps the worst in Colorado history. To keep the ore flowing, Governor James Peabody sent the state militia into Cripple Creek on November 23, 1903, to break up a miners' strike.
By 1935 half a billion dollars in gold, most figured at the price of $20 an ounce, had been extracted. At the turn of the century Cripple Creek and its sister city, Victor, were substantial towns. Eventually the mines played out, the population dropped to a few hundred, and with their many empty storefronts and picturesque homes, Cripple Creek and Victor were tourist attractions as ghost towns. Toward the end of the twentieth century, casino gambling was authorized in Cripple Creek, and this venture was successful in bringing revenue and vitality back into the area. Almost all the gold claims have been consolidated and open pit mining remains a possiblity.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.9 km² (1.1 mi²), all land.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 1,115 people, 494 households, and 282 families residing in the city. The population density was 381.0/km² (988.7/mi²). There were 737 housing units at an average density of 251.8/km² (653.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.29% White, 0.90% African American, 2.15% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 1.43% from other races, and 2.42% from two or more races. 6.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.There were 494 households out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.9% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.2% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 30.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 104.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,261, and the median income for a family was $41,685. Males had a median income of $27,600 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,607. About 4.7% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
Cultural references
- The Band's 1969 eponymous album includes the song Up on Cripple Creek.
- Neil Young's 1970 album After the Gold Rush includes the song Cripple Creek Ferry.
- Linda Goodman's novel Gooberz (1989) is set in Cripple Creek, where Ms. Goodman made her home.
- Vincent J. Cardinal's off-Broadway play, The Colorado Catechism (1990) takes place in a fictional rehabiliation center in Cripple Creek.
- A sandwich named the "Cripple Creek" is made by Colorado-based "Silver Mine Subs," a national chain of submarine sandwich shops.
- A classic bluegrass banjo tune called "Cripple Creek" has long been a favorite of banjo virtuosos.
External links
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