Town of Georgetown Information
Silver Queen of the Rockies
Link to Town of Georgetown website
www.georgetowncolorado.org
History
The first settlers came to the Georgetown area in 1859. George and David Griffith were members of a mining party which decided to separate from the others in the Central City and Idaho Springs areas. Some have reported the Griffith brothers and friends were actually looking for Middle Park but took a wrong turn at Empire Junction. Nevertheless, they found gold in Clear Creek and decided to settle in the area.
Few, if any, settlers stayed in the area through the first, rugged winter. Springtime brought a rush of gold seekers to the narrow mountain valley. Competition for water rights, lode claims and building lots created a need for government. The Griffith Mining District incorporated in June of 1860. The miners established procedures for recording property transactions, settling boundary or mineral disputes, claim size, and a variety of civil laws: restrictions on timber harvesting, health regulations, etc.
Shortly after the formation of the Griffith Mining District, several early residents joined together to form the "Georgetown Company," claiming 640 acres for a townsite. The commercial district was tagged "Main Street," a name which would continue into the 20th century. The center of the town was roughly in the area of the I-70 interchange. Residents of this "townsite" would be governed by the Griffith Mining District. After 1861, new gold strikes around
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