Editing Colorado City, Texas (section)

== History ==

Colorado City originated as a ranger camp in 1877. It grew into a cattlemen's center and has been called "the Mother City of West Texas". The town acquired a railway station and post office in 1881 and was named the county seat. In the early 1880s it was a center for cattle shipment, with herds driven to Colorado City and loaded onto trains for shipment to the eastern markets. The population was estimated at 6,000 in 1884–1885, but dropped to 2,500 by 1890 after a drought, and dropped further with the growth of nearby [[San Angelo, Texas|San Angelo]].

The first school was conducted in a dugout in 1881 and moved to a building the next year. During the late 19th and 20th century, economic activity centered successively on salt mining, then farming, then oil production. By 1910 the town had a new public school, a waterworks, and an electric plant. A city hall was built by 1926.<ref name = TSHA>{{cite web|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/colorado-city-tx-mitchell-county|title=Colorado City, TX (Mitchell County)|last=Hunt|first=William R.|work=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=February 21, 2021}}</ref>

An oil refinery began operation in 1924 and closed in 1969. Other industries included a meat-packing operation and a mobile home factory.<ref name = TSHA/>

=== Hailey Dunn Disappearance ===
On December 26, 2010, a 13-year-old girl named Hailey Dunn disappeared on the way to her father's house to spend the night.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 26, 2022 |title=12 years after Hailey Dunn's disappearance and murder, where does the case stand? |url=https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/crime/12-years-hailey-dunns-disappearance-murder/513-42786307-8426-47d3-9ad5-0583bb7d9faa |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=newswest9.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Her body was found in 2013 in [[Scurry County, Texas|Scurry County]], Texas.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kendall |first=Jennifer |last2=Garza |first2=Ariana |date=2013-04-29 |title=A tragic end to the Hailey Dunn story: Scurry County remains identified as the missing teen's |url=https://ktxs.com/news/crime-watch/a-tragic-end-to-the-hailey-dunn-story-scurry-county-remains-identified-as-the-missing-teens |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=KTXS |language=en}}</ref> Her mother's boyfriend was long suspected for the death of Hailey and told police she was in Scurry County, but in 2023 the prosecution dropped the case against him based on advice from the FBI.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 28, 2023 |title=State explains reasons for dismissal of Shawn Adkins case |url=https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/state-explains-reasons-for-dismissal-in-shawn-adkins-case/513-a2139d98-7042-4aee-bded-4bb40c2f3832 |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=newswest9.com |language=en-US}}</ref>