Editing Bonanza, Colorado (section)

==History==
In 1880, Tom Cooke of [[Salida, Colorado|Salida]] stumbled upon ore deposits while searching for horses. Prospectors flocked to this location and the town of Bonanza City was founded. The Bonanza, Colorado, post office opened on August 12, 1880,<ref name=CPO>{{cite book|title=Colorado Post Offices 1859–1989|first1=William H.|last1=Bauer|first2=James L.|last2=Ozment|first3=John H.|last3=Willard|date=1990|publisher=[[Colorado Railroad Museum|Colorado Railroad Historical Foundation]]|location=[[Golden, Colorado]]|isbn=0-918654-42-4}}</ref> and the Town of Bonanza City was incorporated on January 13, 1881.<ref name=MuniIncCO/> In the first two years of its existence, its population ballooned to between 1,000 and 1,500.  At the time, population of mining towns was determined by the number of [[Western saloon|saloon]]s and [[dance hall]]s instead of a census taker and at this time, Bonanza City had 36 saloons and 7 dance halls.<ref>{{cite book|title=Bulletin - Colorado Geological Survey|url=https://archive.org/details/bulletincolorad00survgoog|year=1916|publisher=Colorado Geological Survey, Department of Natural Resources, State of Colorado|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bulletincolorad00survgoog/page/n57 9]–10}}</ref> The Bonanza post office closed on May 14, 1938. The town shortened its name to the Town of Bonanza.
[[File:Rawley Mine Commissary $1.00 Token.gif|thumb|left|[[Token coin]] with the value of $1.00, issued by the Rawley Mine Commissary in Bonanza]]
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