Timeline

1860

One of the earliest mining camps in the Blue River Valley area was Parkville, founded in 1859 shortly after rich placer gold deposits were discovered.

Parkville, also known as Park city, sprang up at the mouth of Georgia Gulch on the Swan River about six miles east of Colo. 9. The population of Parkville quickly grew to an estimated 1,800 residents.

1860

George Spencer of the prospecting firm Spencer & Company founded the town of Breckenridge.

1861

Summit County, the largest of the original seventeen counties of the Colorado Territory was founded. Upon establishment, Summit covered nearly the entire northwestern quadrant of Colorado. The county would later be subdivided into 8 counties

1861

Work began on a toll road over Argentine Pass. The toll was typically one dollar for a team and wagon.

1865

Montezuma was settled following nearby silver discoveries in 1865.

1873

The Town of Frisco was founded to support the many local mines. Soon the town grew to include two railroads, many businesses, hotels and saloons.

1874

The county was subdivided into Summit and Grand Counties.

1881

The original town of Dillon was founded as a stage stop and trading post on the northeast side of the Snake River.

1883

The county was subdivided into Summit Garfield and Eagle counties.

1910

Norwegian Peter D. Prestrud started the ski industry with his consutrction of the county’s first ski jump in Dillon.

1919

The Loveland Pass Road is adopted by the state highway commission. The wagon road was converted to a highway to allow automobiles to traverse the pass and shortening the route from Denver to Dillon by 32 miles.

1946

The Forest Service approved and permitted Arapahoe Basin as Summit County’s first ski area.

1961

Breckenridge Ski Resort opened. The resort saw 17,000 skiers in its first year.

1970

Max Dercum and Bill Bergman opened Keystone Mountain

1971

Copper Mountain Opened