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Click here for About Gunnison
 Crested Butte is an old mining town that has seen rebirth as a resort community, and has been designated as "A National Historic District". It has maintained the flavor of an old mining town, with new building permits issued only to structures that pass the Board of Zoning and Regulation (BOZAR). All new construction is in keeping with the original character of the town. Gold and silver miners originally settled Crested Butte in the early 1880's, with the town used as a supply point for the remote mines in the surrounding mountains. The discovery of coal gave the town a solid economic base. In the early 1900's, Crested Butte contained the only known anthracite coal deposit west of the Mississippi River, and one narrow-gauge coal train a day left the little community on its way to the west coast, where this coal was used to fire the United States' Pacific Fleet. The coal that fueled Admiral Dewey's Battleship as it steamed into Manila Bay during the Spanish/American war was fueled by anthracite coal mined in Crested Butte. With the closing of "the Big Mine" in the early 1950's, Crested Butte was on its was to becoming a ghost town, utilized primarily by tourists who had discovered the beauty of the area and had purchased some of the older houses. In 1960, investors from Kansas saw Crested Butte Mountain, which dominates the skyline of the community, as an excellent place for a new ski area. The ski area was built and a small community, Mt. Crested Butte, was incorporated to sell land and support the new ski area. Because the area is dependent upon tourism, the management at the ski area has made a concerted effort to advertise in markets throughout the United States, so that a collapse in one industry will not affect the community as directly as the "oil bust" did. The Town of Crested Butte and the ski area are served with public transportation in the form buses which pick up and deliver passengers at three locations in Crested Butte, the condominium complexes in Mt. Crested Butte, and the airport in Gunnison. Crested Butte has a Town Hall form of government, which elects five councilpersons on staggered four-year terms. The mayor is chosen by popular election. The school system serves kindergarten through 12th grade, in two buildings, completed in 1997. Mt. Crested Butte is the site of one of the United States' finest destination ski resorts, according to "Ski Magazine". Crested Butte Resort boasts, big, open and uncrowded slopes. They have over 1,000 acres of terrain ranging from beginner groomers to extreme gladed steeps and a terrain park with a half pipe for skiers and boarders. Summer in Crested Butte is just as busy as the winter. Many visitors stay for weeks at a time. They love the beauty of the surrounding mountains, the abundant wildflowers, and strolling down Elk Avenue, enjoying the quaint shops and exquisite dining. Approximately two miles south of Crested Butte, on State Highway 135, a new subdivision has just come under new ownership and management. "The Crested Butte Country Club" contains a Robert Trent Jones designed eighteen hole golf course, a 50,000 square foot club house containing dining facilities, racquetball courts, indoor swimming pool and covered tennis facilities. The population of Crested Butte is approximately 1,800. This population is served by one supermarket, one "quick stop", two filling stations, some of the state's finest restaurants, three churches, and numerous specialty shops. There is a community building and a new school complex has just been constructed. Remaining services are located in Gunnison, approximately 28 miles south of Crested Butte. In conclusion, Crested Butte is a small, historic mining community that has shown rebirth with the development and growth of the ski area two miles northeast. The primary industry is tourism, which follows the cycles of the U.S. economy. Construction is brisk, with exteriors of new houses and businesses conforming to the 1880's look of the community. All utilities are available, and the community is clean and attractive. The community appeals to the tourists and skiers that come to the area, with many returning to purchase or construct residences. There is an air of "small-townness" that visitors find attractive, with many returning year after year. The economic forecast for the Crested Butte area is for continued growth and increasing real estate prices, as more and more people find this small community high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.  click here to return to the top Gunnison County is approximately the size of the state of Connecticut, and according
to the 1990 census, has a population of 10,273. Approximately 80% of the County is owned by the Federal Government
in the form of the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and the Colorado Division of Wildlife lands.
Although the public is allowed on these lands, the ability to purchase and construct is limited to approximately
20% of the County's total land area. |
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