Victor, Colorado#History

Victor was founded in 1891, shortly after Winfield Scott Stratton discovered gold nearby. The town was named after the Victor Mine,{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=9725|title= Profile for Victor, Colorado, CO|publisher= ePodunk |access-date= September 22, 2012}} which may have been named for an early settler, Victor Adams. In 1892, Harry, Frank and Warren Woods founded the Mt. Rosa Mining, Milling and Land Company.{{cite web | url=http://www.victorcolorado.com/history.htm | title=History | publisher=Victor, Colorado | access-date=May 22, 2013}}{{#tag:ref|Harry and Frank Woods arrived in the Victor area in 1892 with their father Warren Woods. Warren, born in Ohio in 1834, "was the president of most of the Woods' enterprises." Frank managed the Woods Investment Company operations. Harry was a newspaper man before moving to Colorado; he was born in Illinois in 1859. In addition to the Gold Coin Mine and the Victor Bank Block, the Woods also owned or invested in the Pikes Peak Power Company, Golden Crescent Water and Light Company and the First National Bank of Victor. The power company sold power to Pueblo, Cripple Creek and Victor. In 1927, their "empire ended".|group="nb"}} Battle Mountain, located just above Victor, had the largest, most prolific mines in the mining district and the town became known as the "City of Mines." Victor officially became a city on July 16, 1894. In 1894, the Woods brothers discovered gold when they began digging the foundation for a building, which resulted in the creation of the Gold Coin Mine. At that time, 8,000 people lived in Victor.

The town boomed as the surrounding Cripple Creek mining district quickly became the most productive gold mining district in Colorado.{{ cite book | author=Mark W. Davis, Randall K. Streufert | year=1990 | title=Gold Occurrences of Colorado | publisher=Colorado Geological Survey, Resource Series 28 | page=28 }} Mines in Victor and Cripple Creek provided 21 million ounces of gold. In 2010, the value of the gold would have been more than $10 billion. The mining district, which hit its peak in 1900, became the 2nd largest gold district in the country's history.

Although Victor's fame was overshadowed by that of its neighbor, Cripple Creek, many of the best gold mines of the Cripple Creek district were located at Victor, including Stratton's Independence Mine and Mill and the Portland Mine. Half of Battle Mountain's gold was extracted by the Portland Mine, which was called the "Queen of the District". Heavyweight boxing champion William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was a mucker in the Portland Mine.

Mine owners and investors lived in Cripple Creek, while most of the miners for the districts' 500 mines lived in Victor.{{cite book|author=Philip Varney|title=Ghost Towns of the Mountain West: Your Guide to the Hidden History and Old West Haunts of Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qtYK6OD3RX8C&pg=PA63|access-date=May 22, 2013|date=July 4, 2010|publisher=Voyageur Press|isbn=978-1-61060-090-3|page=63}}

In August 1899, the business district was destroyed in a five-hour fire.{{cite web | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-new-york-times-fire-in-a-colorado-to/136818705/ | title=Fire in a Colorado Town.; Business Section of Victor, Near Cripple Creek, Destroyed -- The Loss Estimated at $2,000,000 | newspaper=The New York Times | access-date=December 14, 2023 |place=Cripple Creek, Colorado |page=5 |date=August 21, 1899 |publication-date=August 22, 1899 |via=Newspapers.com}} The town had about 18,000 residents at the time.{{cite book|author=Alexandra Walker Clark|title=Colorado's Historic Hotels|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAUG2JZ2vHoC&pg=PA232|access-date=May 22, 2013|date=July 28, 2011|publisher=The History Press|isbn=978-1-60949-301-1|page=232}}{{cite web | url=http://www.victorhotelcolorado.com/history.htm | title=History | publisher=Victor Hotel | access-date=May 22, 2013}} As a result, many of the historic buildings date to 1899, including the St. Victor Roman Catholic church, the First Baptist Church of Victor, and the Victor Hotel.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

The Western Federation of Miners (WFM) began to organize workers in a fight for shorter work days and standard wages.{{cite book|author=Philip Varney|title=Ghost Towns of the Mountain West: Your Guide to the Hidden History and Old West Haunts of Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qtYK6OD3RX8C&pg=PA64|access-date=May 22, 2013|date=July 4, 2010|publisher=Voyageur Press|isbn=978-1-61060-090-3|page=64}} The workforce became heavily unionized after the Western Federation of Miners conducted a significant strike in 1894. A subsequent strike in 1903 had such an impact that it came to be called the Colorado Labor Wars.{{ Cite journal | author=William Philpott | title=The Lessons of Leadville, Or, Why the Western Federation of Miners Turned Left (Monograph 10) | journal=Monograph | location=Denver |publisher=Colorado Historical Society | year=1994 | issn=1046-3100 }} At this point, the amount of available ore to mine had declined significantly and mining in the district was further impacted by slow production as the result of violent strikes.{{cite book|author=Philip Varney|title=Ghost Towns of the Mountain West: Your Guide to the Hidden History and Old West Haunts of Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qtYK6OD3RX8C&pg=PA63|access-date=May 22, 2013|date=July 4, 2010|publisher=Voyageur Press|isbn=978-1-61060-090-3|pages=63–65}}

The WFM's union hall in Victor still stands, with telltale bullet holes left intact. The building has structural problems and needs renovation.{{cite web |title=Victor hall hanging by thread In 2014, the Hall was struck by lightning and burned. It is now just a shell. |author=Deedee Correll |date=March 30, 2005 |work= The Gazette |publisher=Colorado Springs }}

The town declined steadily in the 20th century, as the gold mines became worked out, and the cost of mining rose relative to the price of gold (fixed at $20.67/troy ounce).{{cite book |last1=Shapiro |first1=Alan |last2=Hanouna |first2=Paul |title=Multinational Financial Management |date=December 12, 2019 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-1118572382 |page=70 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gDLDDwAAQBAJ&q=%2420.67%2Foz&pg=PA70}} Area miners enlisted during World War I, and the loss of workers created a steep decline in mining activity from which the area has not recovered.{{cite book|author=Philip Varney|title=Ghost Towns of the Mountain West: Your Guide to the Hidden History and Old West Haunts of Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qtYK6OD3RX8C&pg=PA65|access-date=May 22, 2013|date=July 4, 2010|publisher=Voyageur Press|isbn=978-1-61060-090-3|page=65}}

Gold mining increased in 1934 when the federal government raised the price of gold to $34/ounce, but gold mining was shut down during World War II as nonessential to the war effort. Some mines opened after the war, but all mines in the district closed by 1962.{{cite web | url=http://www.ccvgoldmining.com/ccvminingdistrict.html | title=Cripple Creek Mining District Timeline | publisher=Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company | access-date=May 22, 2013}}

The Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company formed in 1976 as a joint venture to restart mining in the district. From 1976 to 1989, the company produced 150,000 troy ounces (4,600 kg) of gold by reprocessing tailings and mining two small surface deposits. The Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company began the first large-scale open pit mining in the district in 1994.Keith Dyas and Jerry Marcus (1998) The Cresson project, Engineering & Mining Jour., 6/1998, p.32KK-32OO. In 1995, an open pit gold mining operation, which taps into "legendary" mines, began on Battle Mountain. The Cresson mine open pits are located a few miles north of Victor. Mining continues at the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine, under the ownership of AngloGold Ashanti, producing about 250,000 troy ounces of gold in 2012,{{cite web | url=http://www.ccvgoldmining.com/ccvideo.html | title=Cripple Creek & Victor | publisher=AngloGold Ashanti - Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company | access-date=May 22, 2013}}

in addition to several locally owned mines, all of which provide employment and revenue for the community. Ownership has recently changed from Anglo Gold to Newmont mining.

Image:VictorCO CityHall (5x4).jpg|The Victor City Hall is one of several historic buildings that have been restored in downtown Victor.

File:Victor, Colorado and the Gold Coin Mine - c1900.jpg|Gold mine in Victor, Colorado, around 1900

File:MUWestern Federation of Miners union hall 1903 (straightend).jpg|Western Federation of Miners union hall

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According to the United States Census Bureau for 2010, the city has a total area of {{convert|0.27|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land.{{cite web | url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-7.pdf | title=2010 Census | publisher=U.S. Census Bureau | access-date=May 22, 2013}}

Victor experiences a humid continental climate (Koppen: Dfb), bordering on subalpine (Dfc). Summers are very mild, while winters are relatively cold.{{Clear}}

{{Weather box|width=auto|location = Victor, Colorado

|single line = Y

|collapsed = Yes

|Jan record high F = 57

|Feb record high F = 62

|Mar record high F = 68

|Apr record high F = 72

|May record high F = 77

|Jun record high F = 84

|Jul record high F = 92

|Aug record high F = 83

|Sep record high F = 79

|Oct record high F = 77

|Nov record high F = 66

|Dec record high F = 63

|year record high F = 92

|Jan high F = 35.1

|Feb high F = 37.2

|Mar high F = 40.9

|Apr high F = 47.2

|May high F = 55.7

|Jun high F = 66.9

|Jul high F = 71.1

|Aug high F = 69.2

|Sep high F = 64.0

|Oct high F = 54.2

|Nov high F = 43.7

|Dec high F = 35.9

|year high F= 51.8

|Jan low F = 13.6

|Feb low F = 13.8

|Mar low F = 17.2

|Apr low F = 23.3

|May low F = 31.7

|Jun low F = 41.0

|Jul low F = 45.5

|Aug low F = 45.0

|Sep low F = 38.5

|Oct low F = 29.4

|Nov low F = 21.7

|Dec low F = 14.5

|year low F= 27.9

|Jan record low F = −27

|Feb record low F = −25

|Mar record low F = −14

|Apr record low F = -4

|May record low F = 10

|Jun record low F = 13

|Jul record low F = 29

|Aug record low F = 25

|Sep record low F = 14

|Oct record low F = -4

|Nov record low F = −15

|Dec record low F = −21

|year record low F = −27

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 0.32

|Feb precipitation inch = 0.45

|Mar precipitation inch = 1.09

|Apr precipitation inch = 1.20

|May precipitation inch = 1.77

|Jun precipitation inch = 1.65

|Jul precipitation inch = 4.90

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.88

|Sep precipitation inch = 1.55

|Oct precipitation inch = 0.91

|Nov precipitation inch = 0.58

|Dec precipitation inch = 0.56

|year precipitation inch = 18.86

|Jan snow inch = 5.5

|Feb snow inch = 8.1

|Mar snow inch = 15.2

|Apr snow inch = 12.4

|May snow inch = 7.0

|Jun snow inch = 0.5

|Jul snow inch = 0

|Aug snow inch = 0

|Sep snow inch = 2.4

|Oct snow inch = 8.4

|Nov snow inch = 8.4

|Dec snow inch = 8.0

|year snow inch = 75.8

|source 1 = The Western Regional Climate Center{{cite web

| url =http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?co8649| title =Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Information | access-date =March 27, 2013 | publisher =Western Regional Climate Center }}

|date=March 2013}}

{{US Census population

|1900= 4986

|1910= 3162

|1920= 1777

|1930= 1291

|1940= 1784

|1950= 684

|1960= 434

|1970= 258

|1980= 265

|1990= 258

|2000= 445

|2010= 397

|2020 =379

}}

As of the census of 2010, there were 397 people, 212 households, and 103 families residing in the city.{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |website=United States Census Bureau |access-date=December 19, 2019 |title=U.S. Census website }} The population density was {{convert|1,635.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 360 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,323.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 91.9% White, 0.5% African American, 2.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 2.8% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.8% of the population.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

There were 212 households, out of which 12.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.7% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.4% were non-families. 16.5% of all households had individuals under 18, and 19.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.87 and the average family size was 2.55.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 17.6% under the age of 19, 4.8% from 20 to 24, 20.6% from 25 to 44, 47.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,250, and the median income for a family was $34,375. Males had a median income of $38,750 versus $17,019 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,242. About 14.0% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.7% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

Victor is in the heart of Colorado's gold country,{{cite web | url=http://coloradopastandpresent.com/rtl-languages/townscities/victor.html | title=Victor | publisher=Colorado Past and Present | access-date=May 22, 2013}} home to two of the major gold mines in the Cripple Creek mining district. Though the goldrush-era mines are closed, near the center of town the fortress-like remains of a wrought iron-gated mine entrance, shaft elevators (which carried the miners down), mine carts (now employed by the town as flower planters), barred tunnels, two outbuildings (an office overlooking the entrance and the building from which the miners set out), and other sites of interest from that era still stand. Several towering 'gallows frames', which house the antique elevator pulleys, can be seen on the hillsides.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} Victor has many mining and history related attractions:

• Gold Coin Mine
• Lowell Thomas Museum{{cite web | url=http://www.victorcolorado.com/museum.htm | title=Victor Lowell Thomas Museum | publisher=Victor, Colorado | access-date=May 22, 2013}}
• Victor Hotel
• Victor Downtown Historic District, including the active First Baptist Church

Victor also lies along the Gold Belt Tour National Scenic and Historic Byway.{{cite web | url=http://byways.org/stories/46909 | title=Gold Belt Byway | publisher=US Department of Transportation | access-date=May 22, 2013}}

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"Victor Celebrates the Arts" is a judged painting contest held on Labor Day weekend,{{cite web|title=Victor Celebrates The Arts|url=http://www.victorcelebratesthearts.org/|access-date=December 28, 2015}} which began in 2000.

A 2015 book, City of Mines, by Anderson & Low ({{ISBN|978-1907893773}}), depicts the buildings and scenery around the town without showing the people.{{cite web|author1=Dan Damon|title=Colorado gold rush ghost town revisited|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35061177|publisher=BBC|access-date=December 28, 2015|date=December 12, 2015}}

In 2022, youtubers The Baseball Bat Bros attempted to break the Guinness World Record for Longest home run hit, set by Babe Ruth in 1921 with a verified measurement of 575 feet.{{Cite web |title=Longest home run hit |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.de/world-records/64713-longest-home-run-hit |access-date=March 24, 2023 |website=Guinness World Records |language=de-de}} The attempt was made at The Gold Bowl baseball and soccer field. Victor, having one of the highest elevations in the United States was an ideal location as thinner air at high elevations creates less drag on a traveling baseball than at lower elevations, thus allowing it to travel farther in the air. Various high school, college, and former professional baseball players were invited to attempt to break the record but none were successful with elevated land beyond the outfield and unfavorable winds likely spoiling the attempts. The longest home run hit on the day was an estimated 534 feet.{{Citation |title=GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ attempt for the FARTHEST BASEBALL EVER HIT {{!}} backed by @justbats |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eCWMOtVZc0 |access-date=March 24, 2023 |language=en}}

Students are served by the Cripple Creek-Victor Junior/Senior High School.

{{Portal|Colorado}}

• Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad
• Gold Belt Tour National Scenic and Historic Byway
• Victor Downtown Historic District

{{Reflist|group="nb"}}

{{reflist|2}}

• [http://www.cityofvictor.com/ City of Victor website] Portal style website, Government, Business, Library, Recreation and more
• [http://www.city-data.com/city/Victor-Colorado.html City-Data.com] Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Victor
• [http://dtdapps.coloradodot.info/staticdata/Downloads/CityMaps/Victor.pdf CDOT map of the City of Victor]
• [http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/co/victor.html Victor] at GhostTowns.com

{{Teller County, Colorado}}

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Category:Cities in Teller County, Colorado

Category:Cities in Colorado

Category:Colorado Mining Boom

Category:Mining communities in Colorado

Category:1891 establishments in Colorado

Category:Populated places established in 1891