From the Vault
Frisco
Frisco Main Street in 1984
This image shows Frisco Main Street in 1984, Mt. Royal is in the background.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections.
Henry Recen founded Frisco in 1873 (officially charted in 1879). In the 1870s, Frisco saw an increase in the miner population as low-grade gold was mined on Ophir Mountain, Masontown. By 1882 there were 250 permanent residents in the town, and two significant railways ran through Main Street. The mining boomed until 1918.

Main Street Frisco in 1906
A photograph of Main Street Frisco in 1906, looking east. The buildings are not identified, and an electric street light is visible in the upper foreground.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Neil Westlake Collection.
During the Great Depression in the 1930s, Frisco saw a significant decrease in population, dropping to only about 18 people. Homesteader Bill Thomas began to offer free parcels of his land to Denver residents on the condition that they built a cabin on their land. By 1946 the population of Frisco rose to 50 people. Today, Frisco is a thriving town with local businesses lining Main Street and year-round residents.

Frisco, Colorado in the 1920s
A view of Frisco, Colorado in the 1920s. The mountains and buildings are unidentified.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Minnie Thomas Collection.

Students of the Frisco Schoolhouse in the Summer of 1909
A photograph of students from all grades at the Frisco Schoolhouse in the Summer of 1909. None of the students or the teacher have been identified, but the teacher may be Lucy Orsburn, of Elizabeth, Colorado, sister of Lula Myers.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society; The Neil Westlake Collection.
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