Crisman, Colorado | |
|---|---|
 Location of the Crisman CDP in Boulder County, Colorado | |
| Coordinates: 40°02′27″N 105°21′41″W / 40.0408°N 105.3614°W / 40.0408; -105.3614 (Crisman, Colorado)[2] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | Boulder[1] |
| Founded | 1874 |
| Government | |
| • Type | unincorporated community |
| • Body | Boulder County[1] |
| Area [3] | |
• Total | 1.457 sq mi (3.774 km2) |
| • Land | 1.457 sq mi (3.774 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00015 sq mi (0.0004 km2) |
| Elevation [2] | 6,336 ft (1,931 m) |
| Population (2020)[4] | |
• Total | 179 |
| • Density | 123/sq mi (47.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| ZIP code[5] | Boulder 80302 |
| Area codes | 303/720/983 |
| GNIS place ID | 0178621 |
| GNIS CDP ID | 2583229 |
| FIPS code | 08-18585 |
Crisman is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Boulder, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Crisman CDP was 179 at the United States Census 2020.[4] The Boulder post office (Zip Code 80302) serves the area.[5]
History
Crisman was founded in 1874 as a mining camp and named after the adjacent Crisman Mill, an ore-processing mill owned by prospector and early settler Obed Crisman. The Crisman, Colorado Territory, post office operated from July 20, 1876, until June 15, 1894, and then again from January 4, 1898, until May 31, 1918.[6] The Boulder, Colorado, post office (ZIP code 80302) now serves the area.[5] Crisman became a boomtown in 1881, when the Yellow Pine Mine produced a massive silver strike. Crisman became a stop on the Greeley, Salt Lake and Pacific Railway. The Panic of 1893 and the subsequent crash of the silver market severely damaged Crisman's economy, although the nearby mines remained open for the duration. In 1894, Boulder Creek flooded, and much of the town was destroyed, including a section of railroad track. The obliterated structures were never rebuilt, and Crisman was significantly reduced in size. In 1901, the Logan Mine, a large gold operation near Crisman, uncovered a second strike, which prevented the town from disappearing altogether. By 1918, Crisman had become increasingly depopulated, and the post office closed that year. In 1919, another catastrophic flood swept through Fourmile Canyon, again destroying a section of railroad track and leaving little left of Crisman. The town has since been reduced to a hamlet.[7][8]
Geography
Crisman is located in central Boulder County in the Front Range of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, in the valley of Fourmile Creek at an elevation of 6,578 feet (2,005 m). Four Mile Canyon Drive leads 7 miles (11 km) southeast to Boulder and 5 miles (8 km) northwest to Gold Hill.
The Crisman CDP has an area of 933 acres (3.774 km2), including 0.099 acres (0.0004 km2) of water.[3]
Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Crisman CDP for the United States Census 2010.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 186 | — |
| 2020 | 179 | −3.8% |
| Source: United States Census Bureau | ||
See also
- Boulder, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area
- Denver-Aurora-Greeley, CO Combined Statistical Area
- Front Range Urban Corridor
- List of census-designated places in Colorado
- List of populated places in Colorado
- List of post offices in Colorado
References
- ^ a b "Colorado Counties". Colorado Department of Local Affairs. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ a b "Crisman, Colorado". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ a b "State of Colorado Census Designated Places - BAS20 - Data as of January 1, 2020". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
- ^ a b United States Census Bureau. "Crisman CDP, Colorado". Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ Bauer, William H.; Ozment, James L.; Willard, John H. (1990). Colorado Post Offices 1859–1989. Golden, Colorado: Colorado Railroad Historical Foundation. ISBN 0-918654-42-4.
- ^ "Creative History : A Closer Look : The Communities : Crisman". Archived from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
- ^ "Crisman - Colorado Ghost Town".
External links
- State of Colorado
- History Colorado
- Crisman @ GhostTowns.com
- Boulder County website
